Mercedes: Electric-Only Platforms From 2025, Vision EQXX Teased

The Vision EQXX technology concept will debut in 2022 with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX Teaser

Dan Mihalascu

By: Dan Mihalascu

Jul 22, 2021 at 8:31am ET

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Mercedes-Benz is about to undergo a paradigm shift as it has just announced its (almost) total commitment to electrification.

From 2025 onwards, all its newly launched architectures will be electric-only, the luxury car brand today revealed. Mercedes says it will launch three electric-only architectures in 2025 and will be ready to go all electric at the end of the decade, “where market conditions allow.”

Starting with the more immediate future, Mercedes-Benz will have battery electric vehicles in all the segments it serves by 2022. However, from 2025 onwards, customers will be able to choose an all-electric alternative for every model the company makes.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Olla Kallenius And The EQ Family Of EVs

The three electric-only platforms to be launched in 2025 are as follows:

MB.EA will be a scalable modular system serving as the electric backbone for the future EV portfolio; it will cover all medium to large size passenger cars
AMG.EA will be a dedicated performance electric vehicle platform targeting technology and performance oriented Mercedes-AMG customers
VAN.EA will underpin purpose made electric vans and Light Commercial Vehicles

To make this possible, Mercedes-Benz has a comprehensive plan which includes significantly accelerating R&D. In total, the company will invest more than €40 billion into battery electric vehicles between 2022 and 2030. Interestingly, the carmaker says it plans to do all that while sticking to its profitability targets, which will certainly be quite a challenge.

One way to accomplish that is by deepening the level of vertical integration in manufacturing and development, and insource electric drive technology. Mercedes says this step includes the acquisition of UK-based electric motor company YASA, in a deal that gives it access to unique axial flux motor technology and expertise to develop next generation ultra-high performance motors. For example, in-house electric motors, such as the eATS 2.0, are a key part of the strategy.

Eight new Gigafactories with a capacity of more than 200 GWh

Batteries are obviously another key pillar of the company’s electrification strategy. Since Mercedes estimates it will need a battery capacity of more than 200 Gigawatt hours, it plans to set up eight Gigafactories for producing cells together with international partners, especially from Europe. Mind you, this is in addition to the already planned network of nine plants dedicated to building battery systems.

Mercedes says next-generation batteries will be highly standardized and compatible with more than 90% of all its cars and vans. By continuously using the most advanced battery cell technology in cars and vans, Mercedes-Benz targets to increase range during the production lifecycle of a model.

For the next battery generation, the automaker will work with partners like SilaNano to further increase energy density by using silicon-carbon composite in the anode. This will allow for “unprecedented range and even shorter charging times.” As for solid-state technology, Mercedes is in talks with partners to develop batteries with even higher energy density and safety.

Vision EQXX concept coming in 2022 with more than 620 miles of range

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX Teaser 3

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX teaser

To show the world that it means business, Mercedes is currently developing the Vision EQXX, an EV with a real world range of more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). Debuting in 2022, this concept is targeting a single-digit figure for kWh per 100 kilometers (over 6 miles per kWh) at normal highway driving speeds.

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The team developing it includes experts from Mercedes-Benz’s F1 High Performance Powertrain division (HPP). According to the carmaker, some of the technological advances made with Vision EQXX will find their way onto its new electric platforms.

For more on Mercedes' electrification strategy, watch the full video presentation posted below.