Mercedes Details BlueZERO Concept

Rumors claiming that Mercedes is working on a hybrid/fully-electrical vehicle to be presented at the Detroit Auto Show proved to be pretty accurate as the German carmaker today confirmed the so-called zero-emission vehicles. Just like we announced some time ago, the BlueZERO concept will come in three configurations, E-Cell, F-Cell and E-Cell Plus, in order to meet customer requirements.

"The flexible BlueZERO concept allows electromobility for every requirement and highlights the fact that Mercedes-Benz is the world's only car manufacturer to already have in place all the key technologies for electric cars offering full everyday practicality", says Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

All the aforementioned BlueZERO versions will feature front-wheel drive system and will share almost the same technical specs, with a single major exception: the engine. The E-Cell comes with a battery-electric drive and provides an autonomy of up to 200 kilometers using only the electric system while the F-Cell raises it to up to 400 kilometers. The E-Cell Plus comes with both electric drive an combustion engine and is said to provide an overall range of up to 600 km with 100 km in electric mode.

The concept is entirely based on the sandwich-floor architecture rolled out by Mercedes more than ten years ago on the A-class. This obviously enhances safety but is also said to perfectly match the hybrid technology designed by Mercedes.

"The modified sandwich-floor platform provides the perfect basis for a wide model range with electric drive systems. We are also developing a new, additional platform for future compact models with power units based on optimised internal combustion engines. The intelligent networking of both architectures enables us to develop our product portfolio extremely flexibly and efficiently,” Dr. Thomas Weber, the member of the Daimler AG Board of Management responsible for corporate research and development at Mercedes-Benz Cars, explained.

In terms of engines, the compact unit boasts a maximum power of 100 kW combined with a peak torque of 320 Nm. All versions are able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 11 seconds. Mercedes says the first fuel-cell cars will arrive in production in 2009 but only on a small scale while mass-production is due to start in 2010.

For more pictures and details, check out this link.