Mercedes’ new electric concept car seats made from mushrooms and cacti

Mercedes-Benz has presented a new futuristic and environmentally-friendly electric concept car that might one-day transport drivers from New York City to Detroit using just a single charge.

Based on computer simulation tests, the automobile, called the VISION EQXX by the German automaker, can travel around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) on a single charge. By comparison, the initial Nissan Leaf electric vehicle could travel 74 miles on a single charge, whereas today’s electric cars can travel up to 300 miles on a single charge.

The future concept car was designed with sustainability in mind. The VISION EQXX’s interior is free of animal products, with seats made of mushroom and cactus fibers. The interior plastic is manufactured from waste that would normally end up in a landfill, while the carpets are made of bamboo. According to Mercedes, using these materials reduces the carbon footprint of leather by half.

Engineers worked on enhancing the battery’s energy density rather than making it larger and heavier. The battery takes approximately half as much room and weighs a third as much as similar-capacity batteries.

The car also has solar panels on the roof that, in ideal conditions, can supply up to 25 kilometers of additional range, or roughly 15 miles.

The VISION EQXX is designed with a smaller front face, meaning there is less air resistance, and a narrower rear wheel track, allowing air to flow more efficiently. A typical electric vehicle uses two-thirds of its battery cutting through the air, so to help reduce that energy use, the VISION EQXX is designed with a smaller front face, meaning there is less air resistance, and a narrower rear wheel track, allowing air to flow more efficiently.

Mercedes is one of many automakers, including Ford and General Motors, that are preparing large electric vehicle initiatives. Customers will be able to select an “all-electric option” for each model by 2025, and Mercedes plans to go all-electric within the decade.