The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX covered a 1,202 kilometers summer road trip from Stuttgart, Germany to Silverstone, UK on a single battery charge, beating its own record.
The vehicle’s previous best was a 1,008 km trip from Stuttgart to Cassis, France in April, whereby it achieved an average consumption of 8.7 kWh/100 km. In the latest road trip, comprising 14 hours and 30 minutes, the research vehicle achieved a better consumption rate, averaging 8.3 kWh/100 km, the Stuttgart-based automaker said.
Revealing the trip details, the company said after negotiating an autobahn closure and demanding cross-country diversion near Stuttgart, the vehicle crossed the French border near Strasbourg then cruised across northern France at highway speeds to Calais, where it boarded the Eurotunnel. Continuing its journey in the UK, the car took the M25 around London then stopped off at Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix in Brackley, before carrying on to Silverstone.
Once in Silverstone, Nyck de Vries, who races for the Mercedes-EQ Formula E team, took it up to its maximum speed limit of 140 km/h on the iconic British racetrack. The Dutchman completed 11 laps, using the last of the charge on the pit lane.
The vehicle proved it can cover more than 1,000 km on a single battery charge in real-world conditions, the group’s Chief Technology Officer Markus Schäfer said, commenting on the milestone.
The main challenges on this trip were summer temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius, paired with increased traffic density around Stuttgart and in the southeast of England, but the electric drive unit maintained its efficiency, helped by its thermal management system.
High ambient temperatures and stop-and-go motorway traffic necessitated cooling of the electric drivetrain and passenger cabin. However, the on-demand cooling system took it all in its stride with no significant impact on range. During the 14 hours and 30 minutes of driving time, the air conditioning was operational for just over eight hours yet had a minimal negative impact on overall energy consumption, it added.
Following a brief recharge, the vehicle continued its way to HPP headquarters in Brixworth for a full recharge in preparation for its next outing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (June 23 – June 26), where it took its turn on the famous hill climb.
Mercedes-Benz has announced it will go all-electric by 2030.