Since the early 1980’s, Mercedes-Benz has been presenting research vehicles that fascinating to look at but at the same time, Mercedes was pioneering new methods of vehicle safety and power. The range of innovative solutions found in these research vehicles, from the C111 to the F 125!, gives us a glimpse at the foresight that Mercedes-Benz engineers are able to develop.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 15 Research Vehicles over the last 30 years, which one would you consider the most ground-breaking?

Mercedes-Benz C 111:

At the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September 1969 Mercedes-Benz presented the C 111. The world queued up to see this “test lab on wheels” with its wedge-shaped body and upward-opening gullwing doors.  The color, orange metallic, originally described as “rosé wine”, also helped attract attention. Less conspicuous, but no less unusual, were the technical innovations. The body consisted of fibre-glass reinforced plastic and was riveted and bonded to the steel frame-floor unit.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000:

In the late 1970s the Federal German Ministry for Research and Technology launched the Auto 2000 project, in which several carmakers participated. Fuel consumption was not to exceed eleven litres per 100 km (21.3 mpg) for a vehicle with a cerb weight of up to 2,150 kilograms – a very ambitious target in those days – and the maximum for vehicles weighing 1,250 to 1,700 kilograms was 9.5 litres/100 km (24.7 mpg).

The Auto 2000, first presented to the public at the 1981 Frankfurt International Motor Show and was meant to accommodate four people.  It had an aerodynamically optimised body with a very low Cd (drag coefficient) of 0.28. As many as three different engine concepts were tested in this vehicle. An automatic cylinder cutoff system was premiered in a 3.8-litre V8 petrol engine. When only little power was required, four of the eight combustion chambers were temporarily shut down – today this is a feature of several large-displacement petrol engines built by Mercedes-Benz. The 3.3-litre diesel engine tested in the Auto 2000 had exemplary accelerating power thanks to its six cylinders and two turbochargers; it offered an excellent range of 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres (about 31.3 mpg) at a speed of 120 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz short-distance vehicle NAFA:

Congested streets, a lack of parking space, and long tailbacks raised new questions in motor vehicle research. Mercedes-Benz answered them in 1981 with a concept study labelled “Nahverkehrsfahrzeug” or NAFA for short – the short-distance vehicle. With an overall length of 2.50 metres and an overall height and width of 1.50 metres, the innovative two-seater contradicted everything the company had been known to stand for to date.

The NAFA study did not fall into oblivion. The insights it produced were incorporated into the design of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the prototype of which made its debut in 1996. In the smart city coupé, introduced in 1997, the concept of the compact urban car celebrated its coming of age. It has been manufactured in large numbers ever since.

Mercedes-Benz F100:

Daimler-Benz deliberately chose the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 1991 – the first major trade show of the year – to present a very special automobile: the Mercedes-Benz F 100. This research car gave tangible expression to the vision of engineers and market strategists for the automobile of the future. Never before had so many ideas and innovative technologies been realised in a fully operational car.

In the F100, the driver was seated in the middle.  Statistically, a car is occupied by 1.2 to 1.7 persons – driver included. So the driver deserves the safest place, which is the centre position, with its large distances to car body parts. Furthermore, the driver can always get out of the car on the off-traffic side.

With all its qualities, the Mercedes-Benz F 100 was not simply a test mule for the engineers – it represented a new type of automobile. It anticipated the future of mobility, which has partly become reality since the car made its debut in 1991. At the same time, it emphasised the fact that the customer is the focus of technical progress when a research vehicle is designed.

Mercedes-Benz C112:

In Group C, during the 1990 racing season, Mercedes-Benz, in cooperation with the Swiss Sauber team, fielded the C 11. The car proved to be a great success, and the team was crowned world champion at the end of the season. The triumph was an inspiration for the Mercedes-Benz engineers. Looking for a way to test active dynamic handling systems for series-production cars, they came up with the C 112, a high-performance sports car. It was powered by a six-litre V12 engine that generated 300 kW (408 hp) and put 580 Newton metres of torque on the crankshaft. The challenge was to stretch the physical limits while transferring this performance to the road and meeting the highest levels of active safety.

The C 112 was the first vehicle since the C 111 to feature gullwing doors. Ever since the 1950s, they have been a symbol of Mercedes-Benz sports cars. The 300 SL coupé (W 194/198 series from 1952 and 1954 respectively) was the first to have them – a car whose excellent technical qualities made it stand out in its day. The C 112, with its streamlined body, followed suit.

The C 112 was also the first car to afford active suspension labelled Active Body Control (ABC). Each wheel is equipped with a combination of a spring and hydraulic servo cylinder. Sensors detect all the vehicle’s motions – vertical displacement, roll and pitch. To eliminate the unwanted motion, computers evaluate the data and control the active suspension elements accordingly. The result: an unprecedented level of stable roadholding.

Mercedes-Benz Vario Research Car:

The Mercedes-Benz Vario Research Car is really four cars in one – variability was the design focus of the Vario Research Car (VRC) by Mercedes-Benz, a car that attracted great attention at its premiere at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show. Within just a few minutes, the VRC can be transformed into a different car.

For everyday driving, it’s a saloon. For longer journeys, the load capacity of an estate car is available. In the summer, the sun invites you to take an open-top ride in a convertible. And for heavy loads, there’s the pickup with its open cargo space.

It has a one-piece body that consists of a roof, side walls and rear section; the body can be lifted off and exchanged for another variant. All that is needed is a few simple operations that take just 15 minutes. The Vario Research Car was a vision: customers would not themselves own the bodies but would drive up to a rental station. While they drank a coffee, service technicians would exchange the body. A few minutes later, the customer would be on the road again. The driver could decide how long to use a particular body variant, because the rental system would be just as flexible as the car itself.

 

Mercedes-Benz F200 Imagination:

The Mercedes-Benz F 200 Imagination, presented at the 1996 Paris Motor Show, was created to test new ergonomic concepts based on drive-by-wire technology, cockpit design.  It was powered by a Four-stroke spark-ignition engine with 12 cylinders, six litres of displacement, 290 kW (394 hp), offered rear-wheel drive with a five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission.

Small joysticks in the doors and the centre console for steering and braking – replace the steering wheel. The signals are exclusively transmitted electronically to the relevant components (drive-by-wire). The conventional mechanical control elements used by the driver are now linked to electric and hydraulic actuators, and electronic pulses carry out the desired actions.

Mercedes-Benz F300 Life Jet

How can the feel and cornering dynamics of a motorcycle be combined with the safety and comfort of a car?  This was the question that initiated the design that eventually became known as the F300 Life Jet. Motorcyclists enjoy the freedom offered by their vehicles, they’re able to lean into bends, sense the power of the engine, feel at one with the elements, and experience the unbridled pleasure of the road.  These are all things that the designers and engineers of the F 300 Life Jet strived to convey with their concept. Just as importantly however, it was also designed to offer the same advantages of a car: stability coming from three wheels instead of two. The top can be closed, and seat belts are provided. The motoring experience can be shared with a second person inside the vehicle, both unimpeded by protective clothing, helmet and wind noise. And air conditioning makes for pleasant temperatures.

Mercedes-Benz F400 Carving:

The F400 Carving, which gets its name from the sporty carvers on ski slopes, was debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001 and was created with the plan to test novel dynamic handling systems.  This led to the most conspicuous feature of the Mercedes F400 Carving, The tilting of its wheels. When cornering, the wheels on the outside of the bend tilt by as much as 20 degrees, which distinctly improves directional stability and roadholding, and reduces the danger of skidding. Electronics have been combined with mechanics to achieve this. Sensors measure the road speed, acceleration, steering lock and yaw of the car, and send control signals to the outer wheels’ hydraulic servo cylinders, causing them to tilt at a precisely defined angle. The kerb-side wheels, like the body, remain in their normal position.

Mercedes-Benz F500 Mind:

Presented at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, the Mercedes-Benz F500 Mind proved that the future of auto industry will never cease to be exciting. The four-door car, designed as a modern hatchback saloon, served as a research lab on wheels and demonstrated over a dozen technical ideas for enhancing the safety, propulsion and comfort of future Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.

The F500 mind was designed to utilize different propulsion energies. If a great deal of power is required, a V8 diesel engine with 184 kW (250 hp) drives the F 500 Mind – and simultaneously charges the batteries, as the car also features a 50 kW electric motor that works either by itself or in conjunction with the internal combustion engine. An electronic control unit that adapts to the traffic situation and driving style perfectly coordinates the engine and motor.

The electric motor, for instance, powers the car when it starts up, in stop-and-go traffic and in other situations where the internal combustion engine, by virtue of its design principles, does not develop optimum efficiency. Should the driver require higher engine output, the V8 engine cuts in to provide dynamic acceleration. The electric drive’s 300-volt battery, located underneath the passenger compartment, is recharged during braking.  All resulting in fuel savings of up to 20 percent.

Mercedes-Benz Bionic Car:

For the first time, the engineers specifically looked for a role model in nature, one that lends itself to an aerodynamically efficient, safe, comfortable and environmentally compatible automobile – not just in detail features, but also in its overall shape and structure. Their search led them to the boxfish.

This fish, which lives in tropical waters, has excellent hydrodynamic properties, despite its angular, cube-like body. Its shape is aerodynamically ideal. On a model representing a true copy of the boxfish body, the engineers measured a drag coefficient (Cd) as low as 0.06.

Alongside maximum aerodynamic efficiency and a lightweight concept gleaned from nature, the advanced turbodiesel engine with common rail direct injection (103 kW/140 hp) and novel SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology contributes significantly to reductions in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. In the EU driving cycle, the concept car consumes 4.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (54.7 mpg) – 20 percent less than a comparable production model. In line with US measuring methodology (FTP 75), the car does some 70 miles per gallon (combined) – 30 percent more than a production car. At a constant speed of 90 km/h (55 mph), the direct injection engine consumes 2.8 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres, corresponding to 84 miles per gallon in the US test cycle.

Mercedes-Benz F600 Hygenius:

The Mercedes-Benz F 600 HYGENIUS continued 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 litres per 100 kilometres (81 mpg) and has a range of over 400 kilometres on one tank filling of hydrogen.

The extensively reworked fuel cell of the F 600 HYGENIUS is some 40 per cent smaller than before, operates even more efficiently, and is exceptional 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. The system therefore operates rather like a hybrid drive and selects the source of energy best-suited to the 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 normal voltage. If required, the fuel cell can also function as a mobile power plant: its electric power output of 66 kW is enough to supply several one-family houses with electricity.

Mercedes-Benz F700:

The Mercedes-Benz F 700 presents the future of the superior touring sedan. It demonstrates innovative approaches and technologies for using resources sparingly, protecting the environment and permitting the driver and passengers to travel in a completely relaxed style.

At the heart of the F 700 is a novel powertrain. DIESOTTO combines the advantages of the low-emission petrol engine with the diesel’s fuel economy. For the first time, the diesel’s principle of (controlled homogeneous) charge compression ignition is incorporated in a petrol engine. Also, thanks to homogeneous combustion at reduced reaction temperatures, nitrogen oxide emissions are minimized. Moreover, the reduction in displacement and the number of cylinders improves the degree of efficiency. The F 700 is powered by a compact four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1.8 litres, which nonetheless delivers the superior performance typical of a luxury-class saloon. A two-stage turbocharger is responsible for the engine’s excellent response and high-torque accelerating power. In addition, on ignition, the hybrid module electric motor assists the internal combustion engine. The maximum engine output is 175 kW (238 hp); the electric motor develops another 15 kW (20 hp), and the system’s maximum torque is as high as 400 Newton metres. Acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds is testament to the dynamism of the F 700, whose top speed is limited to 200 km/h. Despite this outstanding performance, the F 700 has a fuel consumption in the EU driving cycle of just 5.3 litres (44.3 mpg), which corresponds to carbon dioxide emissions of 127 grams – an extremely low level for a car of this size.

Mercedes-Benz F800 Style:

The Mercedes-Benz F 800 Style research vehicle showed us the future of premium automobiles from a new perspective. As a five-seat upper-range sedan combining highly efficient drive technologies, unparalleled safety and convenience features we didn’t even know we needed, the F800 Style became a stylish-sporty interpretation of the new Mercedes-Benz design.  The exterior was complete with LED headlights that offered exciting, distinctive details, a spacious interiorm despite compact outer dimensions and a modern sense of lightness on the inside.

The F 800 Style is suitable for use with a variety of drive system options thanks to its flexible multi drive platform, as the following example with two technically independent variants demonstrates:

• As the Plug-in Hybrid, the F 800 Style offers electric mobility with zero local emissions in urban settings. Over longer distances, a gasoline engine equipped with the latest-generation direct-injection technology is supported by the hybrid module, thereby enabling a high-performance and efficient driving experience.
• The F-CELL variant is equipped with a fuel cell unit that runs on hydrogen for electric driving with zero local emissions. The only emission from electric cars powered by a fuel cell is water vapor.

Mercedes-Benz F125!:

The F 125! research vehicle was designed to anticipate future trends and prepared the way for implementation of an innovative premium concept for large, luxurious automobiles. In the F 125! Mercedes-Benz rigorously followed its vision of emission-free driving with hydrogen power, underlining the potential of H2 as an energy source for the future. While previous Mercedes-Benz research vehicles had “looked ahead” by roughly one vehicle generation – seven to eight years – the F 125! as the latest technological visionary went a whole step further, by more than two generations to the year 2025 and beyond.

The F 125! was created as an innovative four-seater luxury saloon with a powerful, emission-free electric drive system based on the fuel cell technology developed to series production maturity by Mercedes-Benz. This study combined pioneering and highly efficient storage, drive and bodyshell technologies with unique control and display concepts. The research vehicle also presented itself with an expressive design which transfers the classic Mercedes design idiom into the future.

Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Center officially opened its new site in Bangalore today. Outside of German, MBRDI is the largest Daimler research and development with 1,200 employees. It is also is the largest and most modern center run by any German car manufacturer in India.

The company’s Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development unit is strengthening its international knowledge network as part of the Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy. Already today, research and development staff is working at 22 sites in eight countries in order to meet the challenges of the future. Around 21,000 people work in research and development within the Daimler AG, including 4,300 outside Germany, creating a vast pool of knowledge covering a wide range of disciplines.

“Our new centre of competence in Bangalore gives us direct access to a highly qualified workforce and excellent networking with the locally based international and national supply industry,” states Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “With enormous growth potential, India is one of the core markets within our global strategy Mercedes-Benz 2020. With our new research site MBRDI we are further expanding our presence on the market, in order to be closer to the customer also in terms of research and development.”

MBRDI started off with just ten employees in 1996 and has since transformed itself from a purely research-based site for IT and vehicle electrics/electronics into a centre of competence with know-how in the fields of design (Computer Aided Design), simulation (Computer Aided Engineering), electrics/electronics (EE) and information technology (IT) for all divisions across the Daimler AG. The Indian site MBRDI filed 50 patent applications in 2012 alone.

“Our international research and development sites are the perfect complement to the R&D activities in Germany, helping to ensure the long-term success and the competitiveness of our traditional research and development sites,” adds Professor Weber.

One project that exemplifies the cooperation between the world-wide sites is the “Human Body Modelling” (HBM) simulation tool, which was developed in close collaboration with the German research and development sites. In accident simulations, HBM enables a wide range of parameters to be taken into account, such as biomechanics, physical properties of the human body and many different crash situations. This globally unique system therefore allows evaluation of very complex accident situations and thus helps to make vehicle designs even safer by considering numerous different factors.

Wilfried Porth, Management BoardMember for Human Resources, Labor Relations Director and responsible for IT at Daimler AG:”The close cooperation between our global R&D sites is of major strategic importance. It is only possible with a strong and integrated IT structure. Bangalore is a crucial part of our global IT landscape, both in engineering and non-engineering. We will use this IT know-how of the Indian “Silicon Valley” for the whole Daimler Group in order to support our profitability and growth.”

Global knowledge network

The company has representation wherever the centres of competence for relevant fields of knowledge are based – with highly qualified researchers and the appropriate “scientific community”. Other local focal points of development are situated near the key production plants. These international activities focus on creating direct benefit for the customer through greater innovative pace and strength as well as shorter development times. This enables tailored solutions for particular growth markets.

The global knowledge network and the high level of investment in research and technology are essential investments in the future of the automobile and, therefore, in the competitiveness of the entire Daimler AG. In 2012, as in the prior year, Daimler invested €5.6 billion in research and development, with further investment totalling €10.8 billion planned for the period 2013 to 2014.

Carl Benz designed his famous Patent Motor Car over 125 years ago in 1886 based on the principal that research is a motor of progress. He calculated, tinkered, discarded ideas – and in the end went on to build a vehicle that apart from the wheels had little in common with previous ones.

Daimler is the world’s oldest car manufacturer and successes have always been due to the in-depth research and innovation. The Mercedes-Benz brand adopted this prinicipal and in turn seen the same successes. Engineering under the three-pointed star is always ahead of its time, setting the standards on a global scale. This applies particularly to the company’s research cars, the features that designers and engineers realise in the fully operational research cars often extend far into the future – but every now and then, one of these features will find its way into a current Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

Daimler has devoted itself to this path of innovation over the years and has presented research vehicles to the public at almost regular intervals. These reflect a recent chapter in the company’s 125-year history – and a very exciting one indeed, because a look at the past and current research vehicles is both retrospective and preview of the future of the automobile – for instance, the F 800 Style research car from Mercedes-Benz.

Mercedes-Benz has always been testing new automotive concepts on fully operational vehicles. This has been done even more systematically from 1969. In the C 111, the Wankel or rotary-piston engine was tested initially, later to be followed by other drive systems. This car was thus one of the forerunners of the research cars. The latter’s history began in 1978 with the “Auto 2000” with which Mercedes-Benz engaged in in-depth basic research for new automobiles. It was followed by the NAFA in 1981. The more recent lineup began with the F 100 of 1991 – the “F” standing for the German word for research car. Since then, research cars all fitting the description “holistic” have been produced with almost infallible regularity: they serve not just to test single components but often demonstrate an entirely new vehicle concept in the form of a ready-to-drive automobile incorporating many forward-looking technologies.

Apart from research cars, the company distinguishes several other types of vehicle which serve to develop new models.

Technology vehicles are production cars equipped with new technology for the purpose of testing. For example, Daimler’s Research division used several modified A-Class cars to test fuel cell systems and drives, before this technology was brought onto the market in small series production with the B-Class F-CELL.

Test vehicles are close relatives of the research cars. They serve to put new technologies from the research labs out onto the test track to try them out in practical operation.

Concept cars at Daimler AG are near-production ready-to-drive vehicle studies. They position a future vehicle model in the market. One example is the Study A of 1993 which shows several characteristic attributes of the subsequent A-Class. Concept cars are equipped with new technology which already sees use in production cars or will soon reach production standard.

Vehicle studies are feasibility studies that show new ideas in the form of a complete automobile. But they usually are not roadworthy. This category includes NAFA, a short-distance vehicle study which originated 30 years ago. It had a short, high body and thus was a forerunner of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the smart city fortwo.

From idea to finished research car

• Engineers and designers come up with concepts for the mobility of the future
• Two years of development from the visionary idea to the finished reseach car
• Every research car has a different technological focus

Daimler research cars are fully operational because they are supposed to make new technology experienceable, drivable, and assessable. They then fulfill their purpose, which is to provide insights into the automobile of tomorrow. Each of these special cars follows the concept of holism. It is not single components which are being tested; rather the entire vehicle springs from an original idea. That this calls some conventions into question, that unusual solutions may cause astonishment or enthusiasm, is all part of the visionary brainwork for the automobile of the future.

As a result, the sometimes very unusual concepts stimulate public discussion of tomorrow’s mobility and provide important indications to the market researchers at Daimler as to what customers want and need. For the cars are oriented to customers, and research must be oriented to the future. Designers, engineers and marketing experts jointly draw up the technical specifications for a new research car. Each car is a reflection of a clear strategy – sometimes it stresses the technological competence of the company, sometimes ergonomics, sometimes driving safety. The designers and engineers then have their work cut out for them complying with all the specifications that result from the visionary ideas.

It requires thinking up something entirely new and unusual. The original ideas are constantly reviewed for feasibility, with information technology and its simulation tools being a great help. If it works on the screen, the approval for made-to-measure manufacture is given. Practically every part of a research car is manufactured to order, a costly procedure: electronic systems are drafted, the interior compartment is redesigned and set up, the bodywork formed. It is not simply a question of setting up a technical product. Every vehicle feature reflects great attention to detail and the striving for the highest possible quality of workmanship. It takes some two years before a research car is ready to drive.

Year	Model	Engineering tested
1969	C 111-I	Three-rotor Wankel engine, plastic bodywork
1970	C 111-II	Four-rotor Wankel engine
1978	Auto 2000	Reduction of fuel consumption
1981	NAFA	Compact short-distance vehicle
1991	F 100	Ergonomics, ambient sensors
1991	C 112	Dynamic handling, Active Body Control
1995	Vario Research Car	Car body variants, ergonomics, display systems
1996	F 200 Imagination	Drive-by-wire, cockpit design
1997	F 300 Life Jet	Active tilt control, dynamic handling
2002	F 400 Carving	Dynamic handling, active camber adjustment
2003	F 500 Mind	Interior compartment concept, variable door concept, hybrid diesel drive, x-by-wire systems
June 2005	Mercedes-Benz bionic car	Aerodynamics, lightweight design, diesel engine with novel SCR emission control
October 2005	F 600 HYGENIUS	Fuel cell drive, variable operating concept, variable interior design, safety equipment
September 2007	F 700	DIESOTTO engine, PRE-SCAN suspension, variable deluxe interior compartment concept with REVERSE seat and innovative operating concept
February 2010	F 800 Style	Multiple drive platform for five-seater luxury limousine, Cam-Touch-Pad HMI, graphic distance to empty display “Range on Map” in electric mode, DISTRONIC PLUS traffic jam vehicle follow assist

With its four powerful, wheel-mounted electric motors the Mercedes-Benz F 125! Research Vehicle is a particularly dynamic demonstration of the principle “fascination and responsibility”. Thanks to very generous performance reserves it copes effortlessly with any traffic situation – with no emissions whatsoever.

With its electric drive system based on highly advanced Mercedes-Benz fuel cell technology, the F 125! ensures particularly satisfying and sustained driving pleasure. The electric power for the motors is generated on board by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, or obtained from the efficient recuperation of braking energy. The only emission resulting from the chemical reaction is pure water vapour. Total operating range is at the same level as a modern diesel car. The high performance potential of the electric drive components in the F 125! once again demonstrate the versatility of the highly scalable, modular E-Drive system from Mercedes-Benz.

Intelligently conceived vehicle architecture

In the new Mercedes-Benz research vehicle, the fuel cell stack is centrally located under the bonnet at the front, while the compact electric motors are installed near the wheels in the front and rear axle areas. The composite hydrogen reservoir in the area of the centre tunnel, between the front seats and the floor assembly, has a capacity of around 7.5 kilograms and is ideally protected against the consequences of accidents.

Metal Organic Frameworks: the hydrogen reservoir of the future

Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are porous solid bodies which consist of numerous, always identical basic components and can be very variably put together on a modular basis. They are made up of nodal points known as Structural Building Units (SBUs). The connecting elements between these nodal points are formed by organic molecules known as Linkers. This structural principle allows solid bodies with extremely large specific surface areas, which in turn provides the basis for an enormous hydrogen storage capacity.

High storage capacity with low volume and great flexibility

Gigantic “inner” surfaces of up to 10,000 sq. m. per gram – the current status of research – make MOFs attractive for numerous applications: they are suitable as gas cleaners for fuel cells, for example, and also – as envisaged for the F125! – as a storage medium for gases, in this case hydrogen. MOFs can be used as pressurised containers (30-80 bar), but for a higher storage density also as low temperature tanks at 77 K (around -196 degrees Celsius), i.e. considerably above the 20 K boiling point of hydrogen. These attributes and the fundamental variability of the MOF’s shape allow an installation position suited to the vehicle requirements. This means that future MOFs can be flexibly installed in the body structure. Key advantages of this solution:

• Less installation space thanks to better adaptability means more scope for packaging and more room for the occupants.

• The low installed position is conducive to a low centre of gravity, with a positive effect on handling and driving dynamics.

• Full integration into the bodyshell structure ensures the best possible crash and operating safety.

Lithium-sulphur battery with a high energy density

The lithium-sulphur battery installed behind the rear seats has a storage capacity of 10 kWh. It can be inductively charged at “intelligent” charging stations, and the convenient charging process can be monitored and controlled using a smartphone. The principal advantage of lithium-sulphur technology, whose usability in vehicles still requires further research, is the high specific energy density of the cells. Compared to current batteries this allows relatively compact but highly efficient energy storage. When designing the F 125!, the developers worked on the assumption that by the time of its introduction into series production, this battery type will be capable of energy densities up to 350 Wh per kg. This would represent roughly a doubling of current performance. The real potentials of this technology are however the subject of basic research, and are still difficult to assess at present.

All in all, the F 125! represents a further, important step towards the market maturity of a fuel cell powered car in the luxury class. With this research vehicle, Mercedes-Benz is demonstrating completely new future ways to design large and luxurious automobiles that are marketable, environmentally friendly and socially compatible.

Touring saloon with sports car genes

The use of four electric motors has a number of advantages in terms of driving dynamics. Mercedes-Benz has already delivered an impressive demonstration of the performance potential residing in this e4MATIC design with the battery-electric SLS AMG E-CELL super sports car, whose rear-end module was developed further for the F 125!. The new front axle design provides a visionary outlook on the integration of electric drive systems into the front axle. The chosen positioning of the drive components allows optimal weight distribution, and also – thanks to active torque vectoring – the need-related assignment of power to each individual wheel.

Apart from ensuring optimal traction at all times, the electronic all-wheel drive with its wheel-specific yaw-damping improves handling stability at high speeds. During brisk cornering, however, wheel-specific intervention allows a metered increase in the yaw rate with an improved steering response and less steering effort. This drive configuration also allows highly efficient energy recuperation at each wheel, cross-wind stabilisation, avoidance of load-change responses and therefore even more controllable handling when cornering, without the need for ASR (acceleration skid control) intervention.

Ride comfort at the highest level

110 years after the invention of the modern passenger car, the Mercedes Simplex of 1901, Mercedes-Benz is once again presenting a trailblazing, visionary vehicle concept – this time in the form of a sporty and comfortable touring saloon with an emission-free F-CELL Plug-in HYBRID system. The concept anticipates future technological trends, with a vehicle architecture to suit.

The F 125! is the first electric car to feature an air suspension and continuous damper adjustment. The result is an optimal balance between ride comfort, driving dynamics and use of energy. The system also allows the vehicle’s suspension height to be adjusted as a function of speed and vehicle status – e.g. to improve the aerodynamics at fast motorway speeds.

Optimal traction and driving dynamics are ensured by active torque vectoring at the front and rear axles. The single-stage gears at the front and rear axles accelerate the vehicle comfortably and without interruptions in tractive power, right up to the top speed. One technical highlight of the suspension system is special compensation of drive moments in the front axle, which almost entirely eliminates drive and recuperation influences on the steering, and noticeably reduces pitching.