It seems that the Mercedes-Benz EQXX EV demo is set to flex muscle with Tesla, the Electric car giant.
On Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX brought on the International Auto Show in New York its Vision EQXX concept in a somewhat indirect and theoretical challenge to Tesla.
The EQXX concept is newly returned from a European trip where it has traveled 621 miles on a fully charged battery.
The concept, which has a long-range demo, is the latest flex against Elon Musk and his Tesla company amidst the firm’s global expansion.
Though this Vision is still a concept and hasn’t been put in for production, it has started raising the bar for what EVs could do by concentrating on battery efficiency, lightweight materials like aluminum brake discs, and the 900-volt electric architecture.
Displaying what is possible during a demonstration is the first hurdle on the long ride to bringing tech from its developmental stage to commercial scale.
With its modern, sleek silhouette plus premium engineering, the EQXX can lead the road for a Mercedes production vehicle to the challenge of battery-electric luxury sedan stalwarts, especially the Audi E-Tron GT Porsche Taycan, and Tesla Roadster expected revival.
The Vision EQXX aims for fully electric by 2030
On Monday, the automaker reiterated it aims to go fully electric by 2030. It sets a target to have its global sales have plug-in hybrids and EVs by 2025.
This move would help halve the company’s carbon footprint compared with the 2020 levels.
Mercedes stated that its concept car traveled 621 miles during a European road trip from Germany to the Cassis town in the South of France without charging its battery.
This is one of the longest distances ever covered by any EV via a single charge. According to the automaker, it traveled to Cassis with 87 miles of range left.
The firm stated in a statement that “The route profile- from the motorway to mountain passes, including roadworks- and the weather conditions presented the Vision EQXX with a wide variety of challenges. The temperatures ranged from 37 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit.”
Meanwhile, Mercedes’ lineup would boast nine models by the year-end, including its E-Class and B-Class vehicle’s electrified versions.
Its flagship model is the EQS sedan, an electrified version of its S-Class executive sedan and an EPA-estimated range of 350 miles.
The company also revealed that the EQS would be available as an SUV in the 2023 model year.