It seems contradictory: the electric car is gaining popularity and there is a race for the largest range, but at the same time the majority of EVs are SUV-like. Mercedes-Benz predicts that the shape of electric SUVs will change in the coming years.
In conversation with the English Autocar, Mercedes-Benz development chief Markus Schäfer says that aerodynamics is the biggest factor determining the efficiency of an electric car. The fact that EVs are more than once high SUVs does not seem to go well with the pursuit of the highest possible range. Schäfer says he expects the shape of electric SUVs to change in the coming years.
“We will definitely see other forms for the SUV. That is, if efficiency is important to automakers. For us, in any case, it is,” the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) told Autocar. “The rear of the SUV will drop a bit and therefore be lower, and the track at the rear will not always be the same as at the front. With a few small changes in shape, the efficiency and thus consumption can improve drastically.” Of course, the development manager does not mention these points lightly, efficiency and form are exactly the two points to which Mercedes-Benz has paid a lot of attention with the brand new Vision EQXX.
Why Mercedes-Benz is sticking to the electric SUV and not fully investing in lower electric models? That seems to be purely a matter of consumer demand. “There is no doubt that consumers love SUVs. The SUV market continues to grow,” explains Schäfer. So count on more electric SUVs with a slightly or strongly sloping roofline. Mercedes-Benz will undoubtedly make an exception for the electric EQG that comes next to the G-class.
Mercedes-Benz has a whole bunch of new electric SUVs in the development rooms, such as the EQE SUV (photos 1 to 3) and EQS SUV (photos 4 and 5). These cars will be on the EVA2 platform known from the EQS and EQE and, according to Mercedes, should make huge strides in terms of efficiency. However, they will not become more energy-efficient than their lower brothers.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl