The chief technology officer of Mercedes-Benz spoke about producing cars that are more efficient than the current ones. He said Mercedes-Benz aims to produce electric cars consuming as little as 10 kilowatt-hours of energy per 100 km (62 miles). It will also be more efficient than the current average for electric cars.
The vehicle producers were celebrating the successful test drive of its EQXX prototype vehicle. The vehicle completed over 1,000 kilometers from Sindelfingen to the Cote d’Azur. Acknowledging the feat, CTO Markus Schaefer said the efficient design was key to maximizing an electric car’s range.
“First we optimize efficiency, and then we can see how many battery modules we put in the car,” Schaefer said. He further added that customers should be able to decide the size of the battery they want based on their needs.
Mercedes debuted its Vision EQXX prototype in January
Carmakers ranging from Mercedes-Benz to Tesla to China’s Nio are racing to build longer-range vehicles. These vehicles will assuage consumer concerns about the absence of a broad electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Mercedes debuted its Vision EQXX prototype in January. They stated that some of the car’s components would make their way into series vehicles in 2-3 years. Moreover, it will be touting a 1,000-kilometer range with a battery half the volume of its flagship EQS model.
The car used 8.7 kilowatt-hours of energy per 100 kilometers on its 11-and-a-half-hour journey to France. According to Mercedes-Benz, it is roughly twice as efficient as current Mercedes models and Tesla’s longest-range car, the Model S 60. As per the automobile comparison website carwow, Mercedes’ EQS has the longest range on the market at 768 kilometers. It is followed by Tesla’s Model S Long Range at 652 kilometers.
“There’ll be a further increase for some time before a fall, which will happen once charging infrastructure is as available as petrol stations,” Schaefer said. However, he declined to state what range Mercedes was targeting in the future.