Test drive: 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a flagship model filled with a boatload of luxury and tech, but is missing one thing according to Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu.
It's the shape of things to come from Mercedes-Benz.
The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX has a drag coefficient of just .17. (Mercedes-Benz)
The Vision EQXX concept previews a potential future electric model that promises to be the most efficient vehicle in the world.
The Vision EQXX features a streamlined body with a longtail design. (Mercedes-Benz)
The compact car features an aerodynamic body and lightweight structure that helps deliver an economy rating equivalent to 235 mpg and a range of 620 miles between charges.
The interior of the Vision EQXX is equipped with a 47.5-inch wide display. (Mercedes-Benz)
The streamlined sedan is about the same size and weight of a Mercedes-Benz C-Class and has a drag coefficient of just .17, which is lower than any car on sale today including the leading Mercedes-Benz EQS at .20.
Bionic principles were used in the design of many of the Vision EQXX's structural components. (Mercedes-Benz)
The EQXX is constructed from a mix of composites, high strength steel and 3D-printed aluminum, much of it designed using bionic principles to optimize their mix of strength and mass. It also uses a 100 kilowatt-hour battery pack that's half the size and a third lighter than one of the same capacity used in the EQS.
The Vision EQXX is approximately the same size and weight as a conventional Mercedes-Benz C-Class. (Mercedes-Benz)
The result is a vehicle with an efficiency rating of six miles per kilowatt-hour of electricity, or approximately 17 kWh per 100 miles, compared to 25 kWh for a Tesla Model 3.
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The EQXX isn't destined to go on sale as-is, but Mercedes-Benz says the design provides a blueprint for upcoming series production models.