Mercedes-Benz has reported a successful conclusion of tests involving an experimental EQS prototype. The electric sedan has run 1,205 km (748.8 miles) on a single charge of its solid-state battery.
The company hopes to make there batteries available for the mass market by the end of the decade, but the results already look promising. Starting in Stuttgart, Germany, the saloon crossed Denmark and finished its trip in Malmö, Sweden. Impressively, the on-board computer showed enough charge remaining for 137 km (85 miles) of driving.
In an earlier report, the company revealed that its Vision EQXX prototype ran from Stuttgart to Silverstone on a charge. It covered a distance just 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) short of this week’s record.
According to Mercedes, the test was a part of the routine designed by the company to research the latest advancements in power storage. The main goal was to see how well the technology would perform in real-life conditions. The spokesperson admitted that it wasn’t fully improvised, though. The test crew picked the easiest route based on traffic conditions, altitude variations and the weather forecast.
Lithium-metallic solid-state batteries are being developed by the AMG High Performance Powertrains department with assistance from U.S.-based Factorial Energy. Most recently, the research team – which includes Formula 1 tech experts – reported finding a way to make the EQS battery 25% more efficient compared to the traditional designs while keeping it the same size.
While solid-state power storage technologies always seem to be “just a few years away”, Mercedes has a handful of other nice things coming to its vehicle lineup as soon as the next year. For one, the company says it will be shipping all EVs with extremely fast-charging batteries and will simultaneously be upgrading its public charger network to support these charging rates.
