Mercedes-Benz Presents Gorgeous Tesla Rival Concept Built With Mushrooms

After a slow-burn teasing of the ‘VISION EQXX’, a shiny new all-electric concept vehicle of the future, Mercedes-Benz has finally revealed the vehicle in all its glory at CES 2022. 

Its futuristic design offers us a glimpse into what luxury could be looking like down the road, from a sleek exterior of “unparalleled elegance” to an innovative interior made with materials such as mushroom fibers. 

Perhaps the most notable highlight, though, is that on a single charge, it can traverse more than an impressive 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) with a benchmark drag coefficient of 0.17. 

An impressive 95% energy efficiency ensures that the EQXX is more than three times more efficient than a car with a conventional internal combustion engine, which gets around 30%. 

The car was “designed for aerodynamics,” according to the firm. So, the front face is smaller, posing “minimal resistance,” while a narrower rear wheel track allows for more efficient airflow.  

Plus, it’s much lighter. Fortune reports that the concept car battery uses silicone instead of graphite in its cell electrodes, which means it only takes up half the space and is much lighter when compared to the Mercedes EQS. 

Inside, the materials used range from mushrooms to bamboo, and cactus to vegan silk. Mercedes-Benz states that this alone has already halved the carbon footprint of leather. 

This “surprising mix” sets out to showcase what can be achieved even when animal products are not involved, while still maintaining that “inimitable feeling of premium comfort” the brand has come to be known for. 

CNN notes that although the range claim for the EQXX is still currently only based on computer simulated testing, the car manufacturer is planning to carry out an actual driving test come this spring. 

Still, it’s a “technology blueprint for series production,” CNN cites the brand as referring to the EQXX. Although this car won’t go on sale, there are reportedly plans in place for the brand to incorporate its battery and electric motor tech into a different car that will see a 2024 production. 

Mercedes-Benz has been steadily gaining traction in the EV game with iconic vehicles such as the EQS. Plus, in December, the firm was granted approval for autonomous driving in Germany. 

[via Fortune and CNN, images via Mercedes-Benz]