A Mercedes-Benz electric car drove more than 1,000 km (621 miles) from Germany to the French Riviera on a single charge, taking the fight to seize the technology limelight from Tesla to the next level.
The EQXX prototype traveled from Sindelfingen, near Stuttgart, via Switzerland and Italy to the Mediterranean coastal town of Cassis, the automaker said Thursday.
The sedan's lightweight chassis and aerodynamic profile allowed it to complete the trip with a battery half the size of Mercedes' EQS flagship EV.
The EQXX “is the most efficient Mercedes ever built,” CEO Ola Kallenius said in a statement. “The technology program behind it marks a milestone in the development of electric vehicles.”
Mercedes plans to spend 60 billion euros ($65 billion) through 2026 to fend off Tesla and win back the title of the world's best-selling luxury-car maker from rival BMW Group.