A few months ago, the experimental Mercedes EQXX set a world record for an electric car — 620 miles without stopping to recharge. The car is a rolling test-bed for Mercedes, a way to try out new electric car technologies, some of which will find their way into production vehicles over time.
Styling is not what this car is all about. Finding ways to drive efficiently is the reason the car exists. And if you thought 620 miles was noteworthy, this past week, the car made a trip from Stuttgart to Silverstone, England, where the British grand prix Formula One race will take place this weekend. Along the way, the car made a stop at the Mercedes F1 team headquarters nearby.
When the journey end, the EQXX had driving 747 miles in 14 hours over two days without recharging — another record for an electric car. According to the Robb Report, the trip took place under real world driving conditions. Along the way, the driving team encountered road closures in Germany, heavy traffic around London, and ran the air conditioning for around eight hours each day.
The average speed for the journey was 56 mph and the EQXX consumed just 8.3 kWh on energy per 100 kilometer, meaning it covered 7.48 miles per kWh. In the previous record setting journey, it used 8.7 kWh per 100 kilometers and traveled 7.14 miles per kWh.
The EQXX was so efficient that there was even enough charge remaining in the battery for Mercedes Formula E driver Nyck de Vries to make 11 laps of the Silverstone circuit at the car’s maximum top speed of 87 mph.
The EQXX’s latest record-setting performance can be traced to two major factors. First, an all new powertrain that produces 240 hp and is connected to a super lightweight 100 kWh battery pack and an innovative thermal management system. (CATL has just introduced its own innovative cooling system for its new Qirin battery.) Second, an ultra- aerodynamic shape — it has a lower drag coefficient than a football — that allows the car to cut through the air as efficiently as possible.
Mercedes has given no hint that the EQXX is headed for production, but the lessons learned will certainly be incorporated into production electric cars in the future.
Check out our brand new E-Bike Guide. If you’re curious about electric bikes, this is the best place to start your e-mobility journey!
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