skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Mercedes-Benz has injected some style into the compact class with the dynamic, sporty styling of the front-wheel drive Concept A-CLASS. All this becomes clear to see when the stunning concept car embarks on its UK tour later this week. The Concept A-CLASS is going on view for the first time in the UK as part of an exciting and interactive display that is set to capture the imagination and interest of the public.
Over the next month, the Concept A-CLASS will be shown in an engaging display that creates drama and excitement amongst weekend visitors to shopping centres in four major cities across the UK.
At each location, the car is initially tantalisingly hidden from view in a mirrored box, which is surrounded by a forest of interactive LED lights that react to sound – they change colours and patterns in response to the voices or movement of passers-by.
At regular intervals, a deep note will sound and the lights will pulsate around the box, accompanied by attention-grabbing music, that will build up to a full reveal of the car.
The Concept A-CLASS National Tour will visit the Bullring Shopping Centre, Birmingham (Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September); Westfield London (Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd October); Arndale Shopping Centre, Manchester (Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October) and Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow (Friday 14th and Saturday 15th October).
For further updates throughout the tour, search twitter for #ConceptACLASS or visit www.ConceptACLASS.co.uk .
The vehicle will also be stopping off at around 70 Mercedes-Benz retailers around the country. To generate interest en-route to each location, it will be transported in full view in a transparent container on the back of The Clear Idea, a special Mercedes-Benz Atego display truck.
“Both visually and technologically, Concept A-CLASS provides an exciting insight into the potential future of the Mercedes-Benz compact car range, and a tantalising glimpse of some of the features that we’re confident would influence future customers in this highly-competitive sector,” said Gary Savage, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars.
“The Concept A-CLASS National Tour creates a unique experience for engaging with our potential customers ahead of some significant model launches next year, and it showcases the future direction of Mercedes-Benz in a truly eye-catching and enthralling way.”
Source: Mercedes-Benz UK
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
With "@yourCOMAND" the F 125! shows a vision for future Mercedes-Benz telematic systems. The range of features includes:
- Natural Handling: operation is substantially by natural voice commands, supplemented with intuitive gestures and touch control.
- Seamless Experience: the multimedia systems are seamlessly and cross-functionally networked, socially interactive and non-distracting.
- Remote Convenience: the vehicle and its multimedia system, as well as all applications and content, can be fully pre-configured by remote control.
- Sensory Perfection: the F 125! offers high-end sound quality and high-resolution monitors with brilliant, individual displays for all seats.
The car as a fully interactive partner
The F 125! "understands" natural speech and gestures, and becomes the perfect, constantly alert "companion" for its driver and passengers. In the interests of maximum driver-fitness and operating safety, the driver is able to interact flexibly with the vehicle using voice commands and intuitive touch gestures. For the best possible accuracy level, the speech recognition system of the F 125! uses both onboard and - since it is always online - internet-based speech recognition. Whether navigating, accessing news updates or receiving and sending SMS, email and Facebook messages, updating appointments or selecting enter-tainment media – the driver of the F 125! can control them all with natural voice commands.
The control options go well beyond those of currently available systems. The driver is e.g. able to request the latest stock exchange information to suit his personal needs ("What is Daimler stock trading at?") and make specific, contextual enquiries ("What developments are forecast by the analysts?"), choose music that suits his mood ("Please play romantic music!") and listen to/answer incoming messages without taking his hands from the wheel.
Seamless Experience: man and machine are completely linked
Thanks to its mainly Cloud-based functions, the F 125! for the first time becomes a genuine, comprehensive "communication centre" which is able to provide all media and services at any time. The exchange of information is no longer impeded or interrupted on journeys, but is an integral part of the concept. The so-called "digital lifestyle" of many customers can therefore be continued both seamlessly and - above all - safely when on board.
Because of constant connectivity with the Cloud, the driver has seamless access to all the media he normally uses. The audio book he started at home yesterday evening can be continued from precisely the right point in the car, the music or TV programme he chose over breakfast is continued, and incoming messages are read out.
Always online and always up-to-date
As all the infotainment systems of the F 125! are concertedly "Cloud-based", not only data but also functions in the network can be used. Speech recognition, for example, or a filtered search for news. As another advantage, the tedious synchronisation of different communication and entertainment devices is completely eliminated. All information, playlists, address books, to-do lists and diaries are always up-to-date, and are always fully available during a journey.
The intelligent head unit: thinking infotainment
The COMAND of tomorrow will not merely respond, but also be proactive. In the future the driver will be able to start with the traffic report or retrieve personal messages before starting the individual music programme. The weather report will then automatically come on before the journey ends. The vehicle will relieve the driver's workload by accessing knowledge from the Cloud: if an urgent message cannot be delivered to a colleague by SMS, for example, it will suggest another means.
Social networking at a new level
The F125! also opens up completely new dimensions when it comes to external communication and the use of social networks. With the help of the Social Community Assistant, the driver alone can decide who is allowed to "disturb" him, or who receives information. Friends and family, for example, can be informed about the current location or expected time of arrival at any time, while business calls or news can be rigorously blocked e.g. over the weekend.
Individual and extremely comfortable – to suit the mood
Whereas personalisation has often been tedious and awkward in the past, individual settings can be made very quickly and easily in the F 125!, thanks to the mood-based configuration function "Moods". "Moods" allows simple and intuitive configuration of music, all climate control settings or the communication functions, thereby also contributing to driver-fitness safety.
Remote Convenience: regulating, finding and controlling from a distance
Fully networked at all times, the F 125! becomes an integral part of the "Cloud". This e.g. means that via the vehicle's specific homepage, authorised individuals have access at all times to information such as the fuel level, next scheduled service or fuel consumption. Just as easily, a home PC or of course a smartphone can be used for remote configuration of the onboard navigation or entertainment system, or to select individual interior temperature settings for each seat.
Via a computer or smartphone, using the so-called Object Spotter function, the driver is also able to locate objects in the vehicle, and even operate them if they are technically equipped for this. If he inadvertently leaves his mobile phone in the car, for example, he is still able to check for incoming calls and access mailbox messages. Luggage and clothing items, child seats or an umbrella can be "found" in the vehicle at any time using futuristic object recognition technology.
The Alert function provides additional security and convenience when away from home. If the doors or boot of the parked vehicle are opened, for example, marked items are removed from the interior or the vehicle is moved, the driver is immediately informed by an alarm message on his smartphone.
Sensory Perfection: natural vision and operation to perfection
The F 125! has large, high-resolution displays. The autostereoscopic 3D display for spatial representation of the instrument cluster is immediately in the driver's field of vision. Depending on requirements or driver preference, it can show the relevant information in clustered form. The 3D image adapts natural visual habits, allows a better overview and thus relieves the driver of stress. The display is operated using two touchpads integrated into the steering wheel.
In the upper section of the centre console, the display surface is seamlessly integrated into the curved interior. This so-called head unit operates with projector-beam technology, and is controlled via a 3D select pad located within easy reach. It can still recognise a finger if it does not touch the surface directly, but is moving a few millimetres above it, a solution which allows a more stable display and control. In addition to the head unit, the integrated selection bar enables the instrument cluster and rear-view display to be selected. Activated in this way, these displays can also be centrally operated.
A further, retractable 17-inch display is installed on the front passenger side, and as this is primarily intended for passenger entertainment, it is fully controlled by hand gestures. To make this possible, infrared LEDs and a stereo camera are fitted along its lower edge. In this way a rear passenger who is relaxing on the chaise-longue can select his personal film programme with no physical contact.
A clear view of the entertainment screen from the front passenger side in the rear is made possible by the folding front passenger seat, which can be electrically adjusted at the touch of a button from the rear. The driver is unable to view this monitor, and is therefore not distracted from the traffic situation.
Hand gestures for convenient door opening and closing
Opening and closing the gull-wing doors is also contact-free, from the outside. Simple wiping gestures control all the functions. The relevant control element is integrated into the rear side window.
Door operation from outside is also possible by smartphone. Opening and closing from the interior is at the touch of a button, with control switches in both the front and rear.
Full visibility to the rear
Instead of conventional rear-view mirrors, the F 125! is equipped with a high-resolution wide-image display. This shows the images from a rear-facing stereo camera integrated into the third brake light. This allows the entire traffic situation behind the vehicle to be monitored, and also makes exterior mirrors unnecessary. In their place the F 125! has two aerodynamically shaped fins accommodating the sensors used by Blind Spot Assist.
The rear-facing stereo camera also allows extended image display possibilities, e.g. a view directly behind the rear end - with distance measuring function - when reversing into a parking space, or a longer-distance image for fast motorway driving. The image is adapted to human perceptive powers at all times, and once again provides a much clearer overview with more rapid and intuitive registration of the relevant traffic situation.
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Specific lightweight construction methods will make a considerable contribution to fuel economy in the automobiles of the future. Here too, Mercedes engineers take a comprehensive approach and use every means at their disposal to make vehicles bearing the Mercedes star lighter, and therefore more economical and efficient. Particular attention is paid to the bodyshell, which accounts for a major proportion of the vehicle weight.
Mercedes-Benz is already one of the largest users of aluminium in the automobile industry. However, the inventor of the automobile consciously opts not to rely only one material, but on a flexible, need-related mix of various metals and plastics. Mercedes-Benz expertise in this field is underlined by its large number of patent registrations in the field of production engineering and new materials. 14 percent of all new developments relate to lightweight construction materials and production processes, e.g. the use of CRP, and environmentally compatible manufacturing processes. CRP technology has long been firmly established in many areas of series production. Today Mercedes-Benz uses carbon-fibre reinforced plastics in various products - from buses to the Unimog, and right up to the AMG models.
Composite CRP materials, aluminium and high-strength steel alloys
With a combination of fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) and a high content of carbon-fibre (CFRP), lightweight metals and high-strength steel alloys, as well as hybrid materials, precisely designed to meet the relevant requirements, the F 125! impressively demonstrates the great variety of possible applications. Thanks to the intensive use of CRP, the lightweight construction specialists at Mercedes-Benz have been able to reduce the bodyshell weight of the research vehicle to around 250 kilograms - roughly 40 percent less than that of a comparable model in current series production.
At the same time the level of safety has again been significantly improved. For example, the self-supporting structure of the gull-wing doors is a monocoque CRP design, with the material applied in four to 16 layers depending on the requirement. In addition this component is equipped with a crash-responsive PRE-SAFE® structure. This large-surface side impact protector is "inflated" by sensor control like an airbag, enhancing the crash performance during a lateral collision. This protection system first presented in the Mercedes-Benz Experimental Safety Vehicle ESF 2009 ensures that the volume in the impact area is enlarged, with a longer deformation path. Energy dissipation is thus improved without any design compromises becoming necessary.
Thanks to concerted lightweight construction, the doors are fitted with no visible gas-pressure struts or visually intrusive hinges with long lever arms. Instead the gull-wing doors are opened and closed with the help of electro hydraulic actuators fully integrated into the roof, and these are assisted by gas-pressure struts which are likewise concealed. The front and rear side members of the F125! are completely of CRP, making roughly five times the energy absorption of a steel construction possible.
Intelligent use of CRP with the focus on safety-related areas
The front flexural and supporting structure is a load-bearing assembly of hybrid CRP sandwich construction. The door entry sills, rear end and pull-out luggage compartment of the F 125! are faced with carbon-fibre. The seat structure is also substantially of CRP, which ensures an extremely low weight and allows integration of the seat belt into the seat.
In the floor assembly – which accommodates the gas reservoir – mainly ultra-high-strength steel alloys and aluminium are used in combination with fibre-reinforced plastics. A bionically optimised metal/plastic hybrid construction is used for the A-pillars. For the front load dissipating path connecting the firewall and the floor assembly in the centre console area, the engineers have used a highly rigid honeycomb sandwich material.
Exemplary entry and seating comfort in a coupé atmosphere
In combination with an extremely long wheelbase of 3333 mm, the doors opening along the entire flank of the car allow extraordinarily convenient access and egress. By way of comparison, the figure for the current long-wheelbase S-Class is 3165 mm. Because the side windows are also fully retractable as a unit, the F 125! not only offers extremely generous interior space, but also the driving pleasure of a classic coupé.
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Mercedes-Benz will be presenting its first electric vehicle with Range Extender at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show in the guise of the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS. The combination of electric drive and petrol engine ensures excellent suitability for both everyday use and long journeys. The energy accumulator takes the form of a lithium-ion battery from Deutsche Accumotive, which enables local emission-free driving up to a range of 100 kilometres. Thanks to the additional three-cylinder petrol engine, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS has a total range of up to 600 km. The concept vehicle presented at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show provides a foretaste of the series which is to go into production in 2014. The Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS adds an all-purpose battery-powered vehicle with Range Extender to Mercedes-Benz's range of electric vehicles.
A new addition to Mercedes-Benz's portfolio of electric cars is the near-series Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS – a compact model that meets all the needs of daily motoring with a total range of up to 600 kilometres. As such, this electric vehicle is also ideally suited to long journeys and offers its driver unrestricted mobility. This is made possible by the combination of a powerful electric drive generating a peak power output of 100 kW and a continuous output of 70 kW with a 50 kW petrol engine. The latter performs a dual role: at low vehicle speeds it charges the battery via a generator. At higher speeds – on prolonged motorway stretches, for example – it additionally serves as a driving engine, acting on the front wheels together with the electric motor via a newly developed automatic transmission.
In all-electric, local emission-free mode the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS has a range of up to 100 kilometres. This covers over 80 percent of daily driving needs. The total range of up to 600 kilometres allows the vehicle to be used for long journeys, too. This means that the electric vehicle with Range Extender is fully suitable for everyday use and can be relied upon to reach its destination, even with a fully discharged battery. In combined driving mode the vehicle emits 32 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
"The Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS shows that our new range of compact cars is all set for the future. The variant involving a battery-electric vehicle with Range Extender further broadens the range of alternative drive concepts from Mercedes-Benz," notes Prof Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management at Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. "This innovative and highly flexible concept meets our customers' wish for emission-free driving coupled with a large range."
The vehicle concept – the best of two worlds
The Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS is an electric vehicle meeting all daily motoring needs which combines the best of two worlds: all-electric driving and driving with a tried and tested high-tech combustion engine. This combination allows long journeys which to date have been the reserve of vehicles powered by a combustion engine alone or electric cars fitted with a fuel cell. The two drive units are extremely compact and are accommodated in the engine compartment at the front together with the transmission and the generator. The powerful lithium-ion battery and the fuel tank are located in a false floor at the rear – the so-called "Energy Space" – which has been developed specially for alternative drives. For other drive variants it is also possible to install gas or hydrogen tanks here, for example.
Intelligent control of the drive system for unrestricted mobility
The intelligent electronic control system of the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS ensures perfect handling in every driving situation. Activation and deactivation of the combustion engine take place fully automatically and go unnoticed by the driver. Electric motor and combustion engine work so intelligently together that the drive unit is able to select the most fuel-efficient mode in every driving situation in a fraction of a second – from stop and go in the city to speedy driving on the open road. With the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS there are basically two operating modes, depending on the battery charge status:
- When the battery possesses sufficient energy, the vehicle runs locally emission-free on electric power alone. The energy accumulator can be recharged by means of a conventional domestic power socket. Rapid charging is also possible with this vehicle. This enables a charging time in the order of one hour.
- When the battery charge status drops below a certain limit, the combustion engine is activated ("Range Extender mode"). The large range which is available in "Range Extender mode" ensures that the vehicle will always reach its destination, even if the battery is flat. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in approx. 11 seconds and the top speed of 150 km/h are both attainable in either operating mode. In order to ensure the most efficient possible motoring, two variants are possible, depending on the vehicle's speed:
1. Below a speed of around 60 km/h, the combustion engine and generator attend to on-board power generation ("serial mode"). In this case, the combustion engine is run in the most fuel-efficient mode.
2. At speeds of over 60 km/h the combustion engine acts as a driving engine together with the electric motor ("parallel mode"), transmitting the generated power to the front axle. Any excess power generated by the combustion engine is used to charge the battery and to run the ancillary units.
Highly efficient lithium-ion battery with long service life
The energy accumulator is accommodated in a false floor system at the rear of the vehicle – the so-called "Energy Space" – which has been developed by Mercedes-Benz specifically for alternative drives. The energy accumulator employed here is a particularly powerful state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery designed specifically for automotive applications. It is produced by Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture of Daimler and Evonik.
The battery can be charged using any standard domestic power outlet or at a public charging station, by means of the charge socket integrated in the rear bumper and the 3.3 kW on-board charger.
When the car goes into production, convenient remote checking and remote configuration of the vehicle will be possible by means of the so-called Vehicle Homepage. The driver will be able to access his vehicle via the internet, using his PC or smartphone. In this way, it will be possible to check the current charge status of the lithium-ion battery or to verify the vehicle's current range on a map. A further feature is smart charging. This involves the customer selecting a desired time for the beginning of his journey. The system then ensures that the battery is fully charged and, if desired, that the vehicle is air‑conditioned at this point in time. The facilities offered by the Vehicle Homepage are rounded off by further convenience functions, such as a route planner designed specifically for electric vehicles.
Comfort and safety to the highest standard
In terms of safety and comfort, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS meets Mercedes-Benz's high standards in every respect. The vehicle combines compact exterior dimensions with a spacious and variable interior and luggage compartment. Five full-size seats make it an all-round electric car for the family, leisure and general motoring. The new electromechanical steering and enhanced driving dynamics provide for refined sportiness in the field of electric mobility. A striking feature of the Concept B-Class is the copper-coloured linear graphic design which accentuates the vehicle and lends it a dynamic appearance. High-quality black nappa leather and copper-coloured double lap seams have been used in the interior.
The concept vehicle is a match for its siblings when it comes to active and passive safety features, too. Like all models of the new compact car generation, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS also comes with COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, a new assistance system which will help to avoid rear-end collisions in future. In keeping with the ongoing democratisation of safety, the B-Class E‑CELL PLUS will also feature a number of additional assistance systems adopted from the larger model series.
These include:
- Adaptive Highbeam Assist
- Blind Spot Assist and Lane Keeping Assist
- Attention Assist (standard)
- Speed Limit Assist (speed limit sign recognition)
- Active Parking Assist
- Brake HOLD function (standard with 7G-DCT)
- Hill Hold function
- LINGUATRONIC
- Reversing camera
- PRE-SAFE® (featuring for the first time in this class of vehicle)
As such, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS sets new standards in the areas of compact electric vehicles with regard to comfort, safety and agility.
Technical data
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Mercedes Concept A-CLASS: The first heartbeat of a new generation
In 1993 Mercedes-Benz ventured into a completely new vehicle class with the revolutionary concept of the Vision A 93. Now the brand is once again presenting a car that might have come from another planet: the Mercedes Concept A-CLASS is the first heartbeat of a new generation whose expressive design stands for concentrated dynamism. The technical highlights of this front-wheel drive concept car include a new, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing 155 kW (210 hp), a dual clutch transmission and a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive Brake Assist.
A long bonnet, low silhouette and slim window areas: the proportions of the Concept A-CLASS stand for concentrated dynamism. Its sporty appearance is given particular depth by the interplay between lines and surfaces. "The Concept A-CLASS introduces the new Mercedes-Benz design idiom into the compact class in a sculptured, light and expressive interpretation," says Professor Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Mercedes-Benz. "We use the term 'captured energy' to express the sheer dynamism exuded by the Concept A-CLASS. Our formal sources of inspiration were the wind and waves, as well as aviation engineering, resulting in this "cool" look."
New turbocharged petrol engine, seven-speed dual clutch transmission
But it is not only visually, but also technologically that the Concept A-CLASS is ushering in a new compact class era at Mercedes-Benz. This front-wheel drive model is powered by a four-cylinder petrol engine from the new M270 series. It was designed for transverse installation, and thanks to direct injection and turbocharging it offers a high performance potential together with minimal emissions and fuel consumption. Other highlights of the all-aluminium engine include injection pressures of up to 200 bar and fast-responding piezo injectors.
The Concept A-CLASS is equipped with the two-litre variant of the new engine, developing 155 kW (210 hp). This BlueEFFICIENCY unit is combined with the new Mercedes-Benz dual clutch transmission. As a three-shaft transmission, this has seven forward gears which are shifted automatically with no interruption in tractive power. The new transmission is therefore particularly economical, sporty and comfortable.
Exterior design with defined edges and a free interplay with the body surfaces
One major characteristic of the new design idiom at Mercedes-Benz is the expressive interplay between lines and surfaces – which the designers refer to as a "clean" concept. Thanks to concave and convex surfaces with the resulting light modulation, this creates a unique sculpture-like presence. The Concept A‑CLASS emphatically continues this theme of defined edges and interacting surfaces, which Mercedes-Benz first showed in the F 800 Style. The side view is structured by three prominent lines: the front structural edge forms a dropping line towards the rear, while the pronounced shoulder muscle over the rear axle emphasises the car's coupé-like character. A further line extends upwards in front of the rear wheel arch in a sweeping curve. These lines lend more depth and dynamism to the side profile. The door handles are recessed into the doors, and emerge electrically at the touch of a button.
The unusual, wing-like structure of the exterior mirrors is suggestive of flow and lightness. Another prominent feature is the open side skirt, which creates an unusual light-and-shadow effect. Reminiscent of a turbine rotor, the large 20-inch wheels reinforce the impression that the Concept A-CLASS has been shaped by the wind.
The front end of the Concept A-CLASS is a real eye-catcher. The brand logo appears to be surrounded by a starry sky. Where there are usually apertures or louvres, the radiator grille consists of numerous metallic silver "dots" on black stems. This theme is reflected in the design of the wheels.
The visually wide rear end exudes power and athleticism, and is likewise enlivened by an interplay between convex/concave surfaces and pronounced edges. The tail light clusters continue the lines of the muscular shoulders towards the rear, emphasising the car's width with their horizontal orientation. The aerodynamic spoiler lip in the tail lights improves efficiency, while the diffuser creates a downforce to aid roadholding.
Interior dominated by associations with aviation engineering
The interior of the Concept A-CLASS, which is flooded with light from the large panoramic roof, likewise appears to be from another planet. Many of the unusual features were inspired by aircraft engineering, at the same time reflecting ideas from the "Mercedes-Benz Aesthetics No. 2" interior sculpture. Various component groups have been reduced to a minimum, for example the dashboard and centre console are merely brushed aluminium structures. The result is a transparent, light, bionic design effect.
As an extremely eye-catching detail inside the Concept A-CLASS, the dashboard takes the form of an aircraft wing and has a translucent, stretchable textile lining. Thanks to this sophisticated fabric, which is vapour-coated with chrome particles, the bionic cellular structure of the dashboard remains visible – its design is reminiscent of a canvas-covered aircraft wing whose underlying struts are discernable. Dramatic backlighting makes this instrument carrier appear particularly futuristic. Thanks to the translucent high-tech lining and lack of a conventional support structure, the dashboard appears to be free-floating. Its lines continue into the door panelling like vapour trails from the winglets of a jet.
The form of the air vents in the dashboard is likewise inspired by the engines of a jet aircraft. The translucent, backlit vents change their colour depending on the temperature the occupants have selected for the climate control system: they are blue if cool, fresh air is vented into the interior, but red if the airflow is heated. The prominent displays in the instrument cluster, which were inspired by the afterburner of a jet engine, are likewise in red. The central control unit is designed as a high-tech flight panel with a shift lever in the shape of a "thrust control". With their moulded-over head restraints and very pronounced lateral support, the seats call the pilot seat in a jet fighter to mind.
Titanium and silver tones are combined with a light, elegant beige in the interior. Magenta is used to produce highlights that contrast with the car's alubeam silver paint finish, which follows the dynamic contours of the exterior like liquid silver.
The Concept A-CLASS makes use of modern materials such as the high-tech lining on the dashboard, or metallised leather where semi-aniline is dyed with metallic pigments and embossed, and also high-grade nubuk leather. This builds a bridge between 125-year tradition of the Mercedes-Benz brand and its claim to progressiveness.
COMAND Online with revolutionary graphic design offers ease of use for smartphone applications
A smartphone is fully integrated into the operating systems of the Concept A‑CLASS. When the phone is inserted into the recess provided in the centre console, it is automatically synchronised with the COMAND multimedia system. All the functions of the smartphone, including internet radio, email and social networks such as Twitter or Facebook, are shown as applications on the 17.8 cm display and can be operated via the rotary/push control.
The visual presentation of the screen elements is unique, with a deep, three-dimensional look created by laser-like, magenta-coloured lines. This near-series display concept was designed and realised by designers and engineers at the Mercedes-Benz development laboratory in Palo Alto, USA. The menus in the Concept A-CLASS are in both Mandarin and English.
Headlamps with optical fibres produce a unique effect
A very special effect is created by the lights of the Concept A-CLASS, as the innovative full-LED high-performance headlamps repeat the starry sky motif of the radiator grille with numerous lighting points. The daytime running lamps consist of 90 optical fibres with aluminium sleeves, and they are arranged in a wing-shape within the headlamp. The tentacle-like fibres form individual, diffused light sources to create a dramatic contrast between soft and harsh.
From any perspective an unusual effect is also created by the LED indicators, which appear to float freely within the headlamps like an enclosed air bubble in a perfume bottle. The indicators are mounted in six chambers at the top of the perspex headlamp unit, and their vapour-coated reflectors remain invisible.
As already brought to series production maturity in the Mercedes CLS, the LED high-performance headlamps of the Concept A-CLASS combine the Intelligent Light System with LED technology. The projection module of these LED headlamps is no longer round, but rather flatter and sportier. This sporty impression is reinforced by the matt carbon-fibre housing, which contrasts with the aluminium surround of the projection module.
Optical fibres with aluminium sleeves are also used in the tail lights. 120 optical fibre lighting points form each C-shaped tail light cluster to create a unique visual effect with their subtle glow. They are appropriately lit up for the brake light function. When braking, the continuous light band between the two tail light clusters also lights up to make the Concept A-CLASS appear even wider. The indicators are self-contained elements in the centre of the tail lights. The base unit of the tail light is of carbon-fibre, with the numerous red elements ensuring visual depth.
New assistance and braking system reduces the risk of rear-end collisions
In the Concept A-CLASS, safety pioneer Mercedes-Benz is showing another milestone in the democratisation of automotive safety technology: the concept car is equipped with a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive Brake Assist – a world first in the compact class. This system gives a visual and acoustic warning to a possibly inattentive driver, and prepares Brake Assist for an absolutely precise braking response which is initiated as soon as the driver emphatically operates the brake pedal.
In contrast to other systems available in the market for the compact class, the new Brake Assist COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is not merely an urban driving system designed to minimise the effects of minor collisions. Instead this innovative solution aims to provide protection against typical rear-end collisions in all driving situations. Mercedes-Benz expects the new safety system to have a significant, positive effect on accident statistics. Following detailed analyses of accident data, Mercedes-Benz safety specialists estimate that this radar-based technology can help to prevent around 20 percent of all rear-end collisions, and mitigate the severity of a further 25 percent.
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Mercedes-Benz Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS - The future shape of the new compact car range: Mercedes-Benz presents electric car with Range Extender
Mercedes-Benz will be presenting its first electric vehicle with Range Extender at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show in the guise of the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS. The combination of electric drive and petrol engine ensures excellent suitability for both everyday use and long journeys. The energy accumulator takes the form of a lithium-ion battery from Deutsche Accumotive, which enables local emission-free driving up to a range of 100 kilometres. Thanks to the additional three-cylinder petrol engine, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS has a total range of up to 600 km. The concept vehicle presented at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show provides a foretaste of the series which is to go into production in 2014. The Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS adds an all-purpose battery-powered vehicle with Range Extender to Mercedes-Benz's range of electric vehicles.
A new addition to Mercedes-Benz's portfolio of electric cars is the near-series Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS – a compact model that meets all the needs of daily motoring with a total range of up to 600 kilometres. As such, this electric vehicle is also ideally suited to long journeys and offers its driver unrestricted mobility. This is made possible by the combination of a powerful electric drive generating a peak power output of 100 kW and a continuous output of 70 kW with a 50 kW petrol engine. The latter performs a dual role: at low vehicle speeds it charges the battery via a generator. At higher speeds – on prolonged motorway stretches, for example – it additionally serves as a driving engine, acting on the front wheels together with the electric motor via a newly developed automatic transmission.
In all-electric, local emission-free mode the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS has a range of up to 100 kilometres. This covers over 80 percent of daily driving needs. The total range of up to 600 kilometres allows the vehicle to be used for long journeys, too. This means that the electric vehicle with Range Extender is fully suitable for everyday use and can be relied upon to reach its destination, even with a fully discharged battery. In combined driving mode the vehicle emits 32 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
"The Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS shows that our new range of compact cars is all set for the future. The variant involving a battery-electric vehicle with Range Extender further broadens the range of alternative drive concepts from Mercedes-Benz," notes Prof Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management at Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. "This innovative and highly flexible concept meets our customers' wish for emission-free driving coupled with a large range."
The vehicle concept – the best of two worlds
The Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS is an electric vehicle meeting all daily motoring needs which combines the best of two worlds: all-electric driving and driving with a tried and tested high-tech combustion engine. This combination allows long journeys which to date have been the reserve of vehicles powered by a combustion engine alone or electric cars fitted with a fuel cell. The two drive units are extremely compact and are accommodated in the engine compartment at the front together with the transmission and the generator. The powerful lithium-ion battery and the fuel tank are located in a false floor at the rear – the so-called "Energy Space" – which has been developed specially for alternative drives. For other drive variants it is also possible to install gas or hydrogen tanks here, for example.
Intelligent control of the drive system for unrestricted mobility
The intelligent electronic control system of the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS ensures perfect handling in every driving situation. Activation and deactivation of the combustion engine take place fully automatically and go unnoticed by the driver. Electric motor and combustion engine work so intelligently together that the drive unit is able to select the most fuel-efficient mode in every driving situation in a fraction of a second – from stop and go in the city to speedy driving on the open road. With the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS there are basically two operating modes, depending on the battery charge status:
- When the battery possesses sufficient energy, the vehicle runs locally emission-free on electric power alone. The energy accumulator can be recharged by means of a conventional domestic power socket. Rapid charging is also possible with this vehicle. This enables a charging time in the order of one hour.
- When the battery charge status drops below a certain limit, the combustion engine is activated ("Range Extender mode"). The large range which is available in "Range Extender mode" ensures that the vehicle will always reach its destination, even if the battery is flat. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in approx. 11 seconds and the top speed of 150 km/h are both attainable in either operating mode. In order to ensure the most efficient possible motoring, two variants are possible, depending on the vehicle's speed:
1. Below a speed of around 60 km/h, the combustion engine and generator attend to on-board power generation ("serial mode"). In this case, the combustion engine is run in the most fuel-efficient mode.
2. At speeds of over 60 km/h the combustion engine acts as a driving engine together with the electric motor ("parallel mode"), transmitting the generated power to the front axle. Any excess power generated by the combustion engine is used to charge the battery and to run the ancillary units.
Highly efficient lithium-ion battery with long service life
The energy accumulator is accommodated in a false floor system at the rear of the vehicle – the so-called "Energy Space" – which has been developed by Mercedes-Benz specifically for alternative drives. The energy accumulator employed here is a particularly powerful state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery designed specifically for automotive applications. It is produced by Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co. KG, a joint venture of Daimler and Evonik.
The battery can be charged using any standard domestic power outlet or at a public charging station, by means of the charge socket integrated in the rear bumper and the 3.3 kW on-board charger.
When the car goes into production, convenient remote checking and remote configuration of the vehicle will be possible by means of the so-called Vehicle Homepage. The driver will be able to access his vehicle via the internet, using his PC or smartphone. In this way, it will be possible to check the current charge status of the lithium-ion battery or to verify the vehicle's current range on a map. A further feature is smart charging. This involves the customer selecting a desired time for the beginning of his journey. The system then ensures that the battery is fully charged and, if desired, that the vehicle is air‑conditioned at this point in time. The facilities offered by the Vehicle Homepage are rounded off by further convenience functions, such as a route planner designed specifically for electric vehicles.
Comfort and safety to the highest standard
In terms of safety and comfort, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS meets Mercedes-Benz's high standards in every respect. The vehicle combines compact exterior dimensions with a spacious and variable interior and luggage compartment. Five full-size seats make it an all-round electric car for the family, leisure and general motoring. The new electromechanical steering and enhanced driving dynamics provide for refined sportiness in the field of electric mobility. A striking feature of the Concept B-Class is the copper-coloured linear graphic design which accentuates the vehicle and lends it a dynamic appearance. High-quality black nappa leather and copper-coloured double lap seams have been used in the interior.
The concept vehicle is a match for its siblings when it comes to active and passive safety features, too. Like all models of the new compact car generation, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS also comes with COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, a new assistance system which will help to avoid rear-end collisions in future. In keeping with the ongoing democratisation of safety, the B-Class E‑CELL PLUS will also feature a number of additional assistance systems adopted from the larger model series.
These include:
- Adaptive Highbeam Assist
- Blind Spot Assist and Lane Keeping Assist
- Attention Assist (standard)
- Speed Limit Assist (speed limit sign recognition)
- Active Parking Assist
- Brake HOLD function (standard with 7G-DCT)
- Hill Hold function
- LINGUATRONIC
- Reversing camera
- PRE-SAFE® (featuring for the first time in this class of vehicle)
As such, the Concept B-Class E-CELL PLUS sets new standards in the areas of compact electric vehicles with regard to comfort, safety and agility.
Technical data
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
