Mercedes unveils svelte, super-efficient EQXX concept

Launched at the 2022 consumer technology show CES in Las Vegas, the Vision EQXX by Mercedes-Benz is a super-efficient EV concept designed to maximise aerodynamics to allow the car to travel 620 miles on a single charge. It’s lean flowing form has a drag coefficient of 0.17cd, which plays a significant role in achieving the impressive range figures. According to the OEM, this was the result of intensive collaboration between the design and aerodynamics teams.

“As designers, we always think in terms of technology and aesthetics. The aerodynamics of the Vision EQXX embody this fusion of tech and aesthetic for us,” said Gorden Wagener, chief design officer Daimler and Mercedes-Benz. “We created spectacular proportions that combine beauty with efficiency. The resulting body flow delivers revolutionary aerodynamics. The fact that the end result is as beautiful as it is bears testament to the skill of our design team working in close collaboration with the aerodynamics experts.”

Aesthetically, it all hangs together pretty elegantly, drawing on the Concept IAA from 2015 for inspiration, particular at the rear, but also the brand’s heritage as exemplified by nods to the 1937 W125 and 540K Streamliner.

The EQXX’s muscles are lean and effortless. Its surfaces flow easily from front to rear, with strong shoulders above the wheel arches and terminating in an emphatic cut-off defined by a gloss black rear mask and light clusters. The greenhouse that flows towards the rear diffuser, retractable to preserve the pure aesthetic of the car, was the product of direct collaboration between design, aerodynamics and engineering.

The front face features a light band below the hood that connects the headlamps. It has two star-shaped elements – a motif that repeats on the bumper and will feature in future models. The lower mask has a gloss black grille with rose-gold highlights. The overall result is a sleek down road graphic. Other details are less obvious. For instance, the air curtain on the front bumper and a brace of air pathways that guide cooling air over the hood.

The interior is free from fussy detailing and awash with alternative sustainable materials. The door pulls, for example, are made from a vegan silk-like fabric, Amsilk Biofibre. Elsewhere, you will find Mylo – a vegan leather made from mycelium and Deserttex, and a cactus-based biomaterial. The carpets are made from bamboo fibre too.

The interior also features recycled waste materials: PET bottles were used to enhance the door trim and floor area. Further up, the design team used Dinamica to create a wraparound effect to link the upper edge of the screen to the doors and headliner.

In terms of UX, Mercedes has continued down the giant screen route. The touchscreen in the EQXX spans 47.5 inches from A-pillar to A-pillar. Its width is very similar to the Hyperscreen that was first shown at 2021 CES, and is now in various production cars, but the shape is more simple.

“Working with these innovative, sustainable materials to design the interior of the Vision EQXX was a hugely liberating and exhilarating experience,” said Wagener. “They open up completely new avenues of creativity, and the visual and tactile finishes are exquisite. The upscale feel of the interior through the use of ambient lighting as well as silver, rose-gold and gloss black accents is a highly progressive interpretation of modern luxury for the all-electric era.”

“The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX is how we imagine the future of electric cars,” said Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz. “Just one-and-a-half years ago, we started this project leading to the most efficient Mercedes-Benz ever built. The Vision EQXX is an advanced car in so many dimensions – and it even looks stunning and futuristic. With that, it underlines where our entire company is headed: We will build the world’s most desirable electric cars.”