MERCEDES has unveiled a new all-electric concept car, the EQXX, that the company claims can go 1,000 kilometers on a single charge. The futuristic luxury car is also made with a host of innovative recycled and sustainable materials including mushroom fibers, ground up cacti and trash such as food scraps. A leather-like material made from mycelium, the underground root-like structures of mushrooms, is used in the seat cushions. Another leather substitute, made from pulverized cactus fibers, is used elsewhere in the interior. The carpets are made entirely of bamboo fiber. Mercedes’ range claim for this concept vehicle is based on computer simulated testing, not actual driving, the company said. If the claim is accurate, the EQXX would be able to drive farther on a single charge than a Toyota Prius hybrid can travel on a full tank of gas, according to United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates. The Prius can only manage 946 kilometers. It’s nearly as far as the 1,036 kilometers that a diesel-powered Chevrolet Suburban can go on a 106-liter tank of fuel. Mercedes plans to demonstrate the car’s range in an actual driving test this spring, the company said. The EQXX gains those extra kilometers largely through efficiency. To reach that level of efficiency, Mercedes designers focused on aerodynamics. The EQXX has a drag coefficient of just 0.17, which is sightly more aerodynamic than a properly thrown football. It’s also more aerodynamic than today’s Mercedes EQS which, while still very aerodynamic, has a drag coefficient of 0.2. A Porsche 911 Turbo has a drag coefficient of 0.33. The car is also designed to be as light as possible. The EQXX has a battery pack that is half as large and 30-percent lighter than the one in the Mercedes EQS, the German automakers current fully electric sedan, while storing the same amount of energy. It also has wheels made from magnesium and aluminum brakes. Springs in the EQXX’s suspension are made from glass-fiber reinforced plastic instead of metal. The EQXX’s body includes a web-like subframe designed to have metal only where it’s actually needed for structural integrity and crash safety. Empty spaces in the frame are filled in with a material called UBQ, created by an Israeli startup. UBQ is made from landfill waste that can include things like mixed plastics, cardboard, gardening waste and even diapers, according to Mercedes-Benz. Solar panels in the roof supply supplemental energy for things like air conditioning, lights and the car’s touchscreen systems reducing demands on battery power. Inside, the EQXX has an enormous touchscreen that stretches all the way across the dashboard. Unlike the ultra-wide “screen” in the EQS, which is actually three smaller screens under a single sheet of glass, the one in the EQXX is a single 1.2-meter wide screen. To save energy, unused portions of the screen dim.(SD-Agencies) | 