Mercedes EQXX review – large-range EV cruiser tested

This is the Mercedes EQXX, and this is the prototype inspiring the future of the German brand’s EVs. 

Design

Prototype cars are often pretty wacky, but the Mercedes EQXX manages to be quite reserved and classy-looking. It’s very cool to look at, with sleek lines and next to no fins or flicks. There are some neat touches too, like the grille made up of Mercedes stars.

To be as streamlined as possible, the 20-inch forged magnesium wheels have transparent covers, and even though the EQXX has four seats, there are only doors for the front ones. 

That’s largely thanks to a late decision to make the EQXX a four-seater, leaving it too late to change the body shell to accommodate rear doors. 

There’s a super long tail – you can forget the McLaren Speedtail – and to help with reducing drag at motorway speeds, the diffuser can be extended to make it even more slippery through the air. With a drag coefficient of 0.17Cd, it’s considerably better than Mercedes’ own EQS — which is said to be the most aerodynamically efficient road car on sale.

Interior

As the EQXX cues what the future of Mercedes EVs is likely to be, it pulled out all of the stops for the interior. Made with materials sourced from recycling or sustainable natural resources, there are also 3D-printed elements to make them as lightweight as possible. 

There are swathes of dark blue trim surrounded by white and silver detailing, backlit with blue lighting. There’s the EQS’s steering wheel, which sits in front of a huge 8K display that includes an avatar of Mercedes Jelenik – the person that all Mercedes models are named after – as the car’s personal assistant. 

Driving

The EQXX is built to go as far on a charge as possible, and with a 100kWh battery pack – the same as an EQS – it can go a seriously long way. Driving from Stuttgart to Silverstone, the EQXX managed over 1,200km – or 764 miles for those of us in the UK and US – on one charge. That’s absolutely bonkers.

Using Formula One tech to help make the battery case as light as possible, there’s also added silicon to components and the battery itself to make it as efficient as possible. There are also 3D-printed parts designed by gaming computer programming software to make them as lightweight and strong as possible. 

The rear-mounted electric motor produces 244hp and with Mat behind the wheel, the EQXX can go from 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds. It’s not mind-numbingly fast, but that’s not the point of it. 

It’s quiet and composed when you’re cruising, and because it’s so streamlined, there’s next to no exterior noise making its way into the cabin. With plastic and glass-fibre reinforced springs used instead of conventional metal coils, there’s some firmness that comes through and it can be a bit rigid over bumps.

With highly inflated tyres it rolls excellently, reducing energy usage even further when you’re cruising, and with brake regeneration, it can recover energy through braking or going down hills. That means that on its record-breaking run, the EQXX achieved 8.7kWh per 100km. That’s 7.14 miles per kWh, twice as efficient as most EVs can achieve in the real world. 

Verdict

This car will never go into production, but it’s the test-bed for all future Mercedes EVs. Using innovative technology to design and build it, the EQXX is inarguably a large step forward for what is possible with the battery-powered vehicle market. The fact it looks as good as it does and is as refined as it is – surprising for a prototype – this is a very accomplished and very cool car indeed.