Idea vehicles are very often nothing greater than fancy show fashions that may’t even transfer an inch below their very own steam. The Mercedes-Benz Imaginative and prescient EQXX may be very totally different.

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the modern EV at CES again in January. It received’t straight spawn a manufacturing variant however lots of its applied sciences are anticipated for use by future electrical autos from the automobile producer. Mat Watson from CarWow lately had the prospect to take a look at the idea in particular person and take it for a drive.

Learn Extra: Mercedes-Benz Imaginative and prescient EQXX Smashes Personal Report, Travels 747 Miles On A Single Cost From Germany To The UK

Discovered beneath the pores and skin of the Imaginative and prescient EQXX is a 900-volt battery pack developed by Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix and Excessive Efficiency Powertrains. This battery pack is rated at 100 kWh, identical to the pack of the EQS 450+, however is 50 per cent smaller and 30 per cent lighter. Mercedes positioned a number of give attention to decreasing weight as a lot as attainable, putting in magnesium wheels, aluminum alloy brake calipers, and carbon and glass-reinforced doorways. The idea additionally sports activities 117 photo voltaic cells that contribute 15.5 miles (25 km) to the driving vary.

Powering the rear wheels is a single electrical motor with 201 hp. Whereas the idea isn’t quick, it’s exceptionally environment friendly and in June, traveled 747 miles (1,202 km) on a single cost in a journey from Stuttgart, Germany to the Silverstone circuit within the UK.

Throughout his testing of the idea, Watson and the Mercedes engineer behind the wheel recorded a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of seven.51 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 15.87 seconds. These instances might not appear very spectacular however the engineer notes the EV was not designed with a number of low-end torque and was as an alternative engineered to be pushed at freeway speeds, exactly the place it’s most effective.