Powerful, comfortable, non-pollutant – Mercedes-Benz F 600 HYGENIUS

Facts

• Vehicle: Mercedes-Benz F 600 HYGENIUS
  
• Introduced in: October 2005
  
• Where: Tokyo Motor Show
  
• Goals: Testing of the further developed fuel cell drive, interior compartment matched to the needs of families, innovative operating concept, expanded PRE-SAFE® system
  
• Powertrain: Fuel cell with electric motor, peak output 85 kW (115 hp), continuous output 60 kW (82 hp)

Technical highlights

• Further developed fuel cell hybrid drive
  
• Interior appointments and seats matched to the needs of families
  
• Driver’s seat with automatic adjustment to body contours and sophisticated support of the spinal discs
  
• Two-part tailgate for maximum variability
  
• Space-saving front doors which swivel obliquely upwards
  
• High-performance light-emitting diodes for all light functions
  
• Flashing brake lights in emergency braking maneuvers - Production launch in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2005, W 221 series)
  
• Expanded PRE-SAFE® system with active knee protection and head restraints with automatically extending side bolsters for supporting the head
  
• Video cameras for alighting without risk and safe lane changes
  
• Innovative operating concept with virtual display
  
• Revised COMAND system for even easier operation

The Mercedes-Benz F 600 HYGENIUS continues the series of fascinating and groundbreaking research cars. Powered by an 85 kW (115 hp) zero-emission fuel cell drive, the compact family car consumes the equivalent of just 2.9 liters per 100 kilometers (81 mpg) and has a range of over 400 kilometers on one tank filling of hydrogen. Mercedes-Benz also significantly improved the performance characteristics and cold-start behavior of this future-oriented drive system. The fuel cell of the F 600 HYGENIUS was further developed to a major extent: it is some 40 percent smaller than before, operates even more efficiently and stands out for its good cold-start ability. The continuous output of the fuel cell drive is 60 kW (82 hp). Energy not required for driving the car is stored in a high-performance lithium-ion battery, so the system operates similarly to hybrid drive and uses the source of energy which is best-suited in every given driving situation. The generous amount of energy made available by the fuel cell can also be used for the well-being of the passengers in the F 600 HYGENIUS. The cup holders, for instance, cool or heat beverages with electricity generated by the environment-friendly unit. Via a conventional power outlet, electrical appliances can be operated at a normal voltage level. When required, the fuel cell also serves as a mobile power plant: its electric power output of 66 kW suffices to supply several one-family houses with electricity.

Compact car with the comfortable space of a luxury-class car

Despite the compact, 4.35 meter long body, the space inside the four-door F 600 HYGENIUS surpasses the dimensions of the luxury class. The distance between the front and rear seats is a generous 95 centimeters and can be increased by up to another 40 centimeters when the individual rear seats are moved further to the back.

With its host of well-thought-out detail features, the F 600 HYGENIUS is a perfect family car. The seats, for instance, were designed so as to match the needs of children and families. Thanks to a new design, both sides of the backrests of the front passenger seat and the individual seats in the rear can be used; they can be moved forward in such a way that rearward-facing ISOFIX child safety seats can be inserted into latches in the seat squabs. This vis-à-vis seat arrangement enhances the safety of children and makes it more convenient to look after them.

The driver’s seat features two-part backrest padding which can be precisely adjusted for height, width and angle to the body contours by means of electric motors to offer firm support especially in the area of the driver’s waist. The backrest is mounted so as to follow the movements of the upper body, thereby optimally reducing the strain on the spinal discs in every seating position.

Two-part tailgate and picnic site in the luggage compartment

The two-part tailgate of the F 600 HYGENIUS is extremely practical. It opens automatically at the push of a button and, under cramped conditions, the lower element folds inside to that the swivel range is substantially reduced. At the same time, the rear bumper moves downwards and pulls out the luggage compartment floor which is thus easier to load as well as serving as seating for picnics. The front doors of the F 600 HYGENIUS swivel obliquely upwards and thereby take up less space than conventional car doors – an advantage in narrow parking bays.

Video cameras for alighting without risk and safe lane changes

Cameras in den exterior-mirror housings monitor what’s happening alongside and behind the F 600 HYGENIUS also when the research car is parked. When another car or a cyclist approaches from behind, the system automatically locks the relevant door for a short while to prevent a collision with the open door. At the same time, a warning signal is sounded inside, and a red danger symbol appears in the mirror glass. On the move, the cameras monitor the blind spots of the two exterior mirrors, and the driver is warned when he or she is about to change lane while another vehicle is approaching from behind.

The depictions on the two high-resolution color displays in the dashboard are deflected by two mirrors and projected so that in visual terms, they appear at a distance of 1.40 meters in front of the driver. With this novel virtual display technology, Mercedes-Benz renders an important contribution to physiological safety as it shortens the adaptation time for the driver’s eyes changing from the more distant traffic in front of the car to the near-by display in the cockpit. Scientific studies confirm that with this technology, the driver’s eyes do not have to adapt from short-range to long-range vision and therefore do not get tired so quickly.

High-performance light-emitting diodes for all light functions

The engineers also devoted themselves to light technology. Headlights with high-performance light-emitting diodes improve the driver’s vision in the dark and help prevent accidents. The LEDs are allocated to three projection modules which ensure the broad-range and even distribution of the driving lights. The middle light module is switched on in specific driving situations and additionally serves as high beam, cornering or active light. The individual light-emitting diodes are directly actuated for the different light functions; movable components such as those currently required for the active cornering light function are no longer necessary. Mercedes-Benz also uses LEDs for the tail and brake lights. In emergency braking maneuvers, flashing brake lights warn drivers behind the car and reduce the risk of rear-end collisions.

Preventive PRE-SAFE® protection with knee bolster and new head restraints

The preventive PRE-SAFE® occupant protection system, which made its worldwide debut in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 2002, will continuously be further expanded by the engineers in the future. On board the F 600 HYGENIUS they show two additional protective features: active knee protection for supporting the front passenger and head restraints with automatically extending side bolsters which restrain the head. These and other PRE-SAFE® features are activated before an imminent accident to prepare the occupants and the car itself for the crash. When the accident actually happens, seat belts and airbags are capable of providing maximum protection; when the accident is prevented at the last moment, the reversible PRE-SAFE® systems can be returned to their original settings.

The F 600 HYGENIUS continues the more than 120-year tradition of the world’s oldest motor manufacturer and carries it on far into the future.

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	The inventor and his creation: Karl Benz (in front) at the wheel of his patent motor car model III, together with Friedrich von Fischer, equally a member of the Board of Management of Benz & Cie.
	Benz Patent Motor Car – The world’s first automobile
	Benz Patent Motor Car – The world’s first automobile
	Benz Patent Motor Car – The world’s first automobile
	Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969.
	Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, on the test track at Untertürkheim, 1969.
	Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969.
	Test drive on the Hockenheim race track: Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969.
	Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969.
	Three generations of the C 111: -on the right: C 111/II, 1970. -in the middle: C 111/I, 1969. -on the left (background): the first prototype version of the C 111/I.
	Prototype C 111-1 and C 111-2
	C 111-II
	Tomorrow’s car on the move: The Auto 2000 research car, shown here in operation in 1982. Among other things, it served the purpose of testing different propulsion technologies.
	Auto 2000 – testing of different drive systems
	Auto 2000 – testing of different drive systems
	Auto 2000 – testing of different drive systems
	From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts.
	From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts.
	From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts.
	From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts.
	Outlining the future of the urban car: Mercedes-Benz NAFA (1982).
	NAFA – the short-distance vehicle
	NAFA – the short-distance vehicle
	Innovative from its powertrain through to its sliding doors: NAFA study of 1982.
	Made for two: As early as 1982, the NAFA model presented a practical automotive solution to problems of urban mobility.
	Technology pure – the F 100
	Technology pure – the F 100
	Technology pure – the F 100
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	The C 112 research vehicle, Active Body Control (ABC)
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	The Vario Research Car of 1995 combines four vehicle concepts in one. The car can be fitted with different body types.
	The Vario Research Car of 1995 combines four vehicle concepts in one. The car can be fitted with different body types.
	The Vario Research Car of 1995 combines four vehicle concepts in one. The car can be fitted with different body types.
	Four cars in one – the Vario Research Car
	Four cars in one – the Vario Research Car
	Four cars in one – the Vario Research Car
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	Highlights of the F 200 Imagination include an innovative operating and display system. It was first presented in Paris in 1996.
	Highlights of the F 200 Imagination include an innovative operating and display system. It was first presented in Paris in 1996.
	F 200, studio shot, 3/4 view from in front, driver's door open
	Highlights of the F 200 Imagination include an innovative operating and display system. It was first presented in Paris in 1996.
	Pioneering drive-by-wire technology allows the car to be steered by a sidestick in the centre console.
	Pioneering drive-by-wire technology allows the car to be steered by a sidestick in the centre console.
	Pioneering drive-by-wire technology allows the car to be steered by a sidestick in the centre console.
	The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car.
	The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car.
	The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car.
	The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car.
	F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, driving shot, from behind, rear view
	F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, driving shot, rear view
	F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, detail: rear-wheel swinging fork. The drive consists of a toothed belt. The swinging fork is made of cast aluminium
	F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, engine compartment. The Mercedes-Benz A-class'es compact 1.6-l engine is situated between the passenger compartment and the rear wheel
	F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, detail: front-wheel suspension, steering. Sophisticated construction: The F 300 Life-Jet front axle is equipped with a hydraulic system that inclines the wheels and body sideways when going around a corner. The front axle
	F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, driving shot, 3/4 view from in front
	F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, driving shot, rear view
	F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, passenger compartment, interior
	F 400 Carving, engine compartment
	The F 400 Carving research vehicle was one of the attractions at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001.
	The F 400 Carving research vehicle was one of the attractions at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001.
	F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, studio shot, 3/4 view from behind
	F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, driving shot, front view
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future
	The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle
	The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle
	The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle
	The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle
	The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle
	The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle
	The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle
	DaimlerChrysler’s fuel cell vehicle ensemble features a very young “gallery of ancestors” (right). It took the Group’s engineers only 11 years to go from the “granddaddy” Necar 1 (rear, left) to the F 600 (front, right). The bridge to the future is the B-Class F-Cell (rear, right), which should be on the road within the next few years.
	Powered by a zero-emission fuel cell drive with an output of 85 kW/115 hp, the F 600 HYGENIUS consumes the equivalent of 2.9 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, making it the first fuel cell vehicle to cover over 400 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen.
	F 600 HYGENIUS: The images on both high-resolution colour displays in the dashboard are diverted by means of two mirrors before being projected to appear at a point 1.40 metres in front of the driver.
	F 600 HYGENIUS: Mercedes-Benz has devised a revolutionary new seat for the driver featuring a two-piece backrest cushion whose height, width and tilt can be adjusted to the contours of the occupant's body by means of electric motors, and which offers a particularly high level of support in the midriff area.
	With an overall exterior length of 5.18 meters the F 700 is a little shorter than the current long-wheelbase version of the S-Class, but with its generously sized wheelbase of 3.45 meters the research car excels the production model by impressive 28.5 centimeters.
	With its F 700 research car, Mercedes-Benz redefi nes the idea of effortless, superior refi nement. This concept for a future luxurious touring sedan shows how outstanding riding quality can be combined with high levels of environmental friendliness, and good performance with exceptionally low fuel consumption.
	Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, exterior
	Whereas the three other doors open conventionally (hinges at the forward edge, handles at the rear), the fourth door is hinged at the rear. This facilitates boarding and leaving for the passenger when the REVERSE seat is positioned opposite the direction of travel. The driver’s door and the front passengers door also “observe” their surroundings attentively. In the base of the mirror of this PRE-SCAN door there is a very compact laser scanner which examines the area in which the door swings open for any obstacles. If collisions threaten, the door is arrested by a controllable hydraulic cylinder.
	Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, exterior
	The spacious interior, the innovative, multifunctional configuration of the seats, or the use of elegant but natural materials enable an extremely relaxed form of transportation. With its REVERSE seat the F 700 breaks up the firmly established seat arrangement of conventional sedans and offers individual seating positions facing, or with one’s back to, the direction of travel, always affording maximum spaciousness and supreme comfort.
	Mercedes-Benz F 700 Research Car
	“SERVO-HMI” – the innovative operating concept. The display is not only particularly gentle on the eyes; the number of controls also has been appreciably reduced and the menu structure has been made strikingly simple and self-explanatory. The driver can “discuss” more complex inputs, such as a destination for navigation purposes, in dialogue with an avatar, a virtual operating assistant.
	The exceptional efficiency of the overall concept of the F 700 is evident at first sight: its design is distinguished by soft, flowing forms. “Aqua Dynamic” is the name the designers have given to this design idiom with which they translated the flow dynamics of a fish into the design. The design provides an immediately indication that much room has been given to the passengers.
	Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, technology
	Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, technology
	The future oriented DIESOTTO-powertrain with its 1.8-l displacement, 4-cylinder spark-ignition combines the performance of a gasoline engine and the high torque and fuel economy of a state-of-the-art diesel together with extremely clean emissions. Additionally, CO2 emissions of a mere 127 grams per kilometer correspond to consumption of only 5.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (44.3 mpg), extremely low for a vehicle of this class. The new technology package includes features such as direct gasoline injection, turbocharging and a variable compression. At the core of this innovation lies the controlled auto ignition, a highly effi cient combustion process similar to that of a diesel. The DIESOTTO-system can be operated using conventional gasoline fuel.
	The “eyes” of the F 700 are integrated into the headlamps. With two laser scanners the active PRE-SCAN suspension scans the roadway in front of the car. The hydraulically controlled active suspension proactively compensates for detected hindrances, enabling entirely new comfort characteristics.

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