To mark the 125th anniversary of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz has created the F125!, stretching current technology as far as it can go - and further.
Most concepts look one generation - seven or eight years - ahead, says Mercedes R&D head Dr Thomas Weber, but the fuel-cell driven F125! goes a whole step further, by more than two generations to the year 2025 and beyond.
He said: “We want to show that large sedan cars have an excellent future, partly because they will be able to operate with no emissions; the S-Class will continue into the future.”
The concept has a hybrid bodyshell using a mix of carbon-fibre, aluminium and high-strength steels, with a low-pressure tank holding about 7.5kg of hydrogen at 30 bar built into the floor, rather than a separate, cylindrical tank holding the fuel at 700 bar, which is heavier and bulkier.
A fuel-cell stack developed from those used on the B-Class F-Cell world drive charges a high-voltage, 10kWh lithium-sulphur battery mounted behind the rear seats.
And that drives four electric motors - one behind each wheel - a system developed for the battery-powered SLS AMG E-Cell, generating a continuous output of 170kW and a peak output of 230kW, good enough, says Weber, to take the concept from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds and on to 220km/h, while using an average of only 790g of hydrogen per 100km and emitting only water vapour.
That gives the concept a theoretical range of close to 950km on hydrogen and another 50km on battery power alone. The concept can also be charged from a domestic 220v outlet for battery-only urban running, and the charging process can be monitored by smartphone.
Most of the concept's infotainment systems are voice operated; the driver can request news items that are tailored to his interests, and make specific enquiries, without taking his hands off the wheel.
The head unit in the upper section of the centre console uses a projector beam, controlled by a touchpad. There's also a retractable 21cm display in the front passenger console, controlled by hand gestures, so a rear passenger can select his personal video programme with no physical contact.
The F125! and its multimedia system can be completely remote-controlled from a smartphone, tablet or home PC, with access to information such as the fuel level, next scheduled service or fuel consumption - and the remote unit can be used to configure the onboard navigation or entertainment system, and to select individual interior temperature settings for each seat.
Mercedes-Benz envisions the in-car system of the future as proactive; it'll start with the traffic report or retrieve personal messages before beginning the selected music programme - and switch automatically to the weather report just before you reach your destination.
It'll select music based on your mood (sorry, ladies, you’ll still have to tell it how you're feeling, the F125! is no more telepathic than your husband) and will automatically filter external communication and the use of social networks, based on the driver's choice of who's allowed to 'disturb' him, or who receives information.
Advanced driving assist will allow automatic lane-changes on multi-lane, one-way roads and later, even automatic overtaking manoeuvres.
Thanks to radio-based networking, future Mercedes will be able to exchange information with other vehicles, traffic lights, warning signs and traffic control centres. Specific applications might include a warning of approaching emergency service vehicles, well before the driver can see or hear them, a reminder that other vehicles have the right of way at obscure road junctions, or obstacles on the road.
One and a quarter centuries ago the idea of fitting carriage-like vehicles with internal combustion engines to make them self-propelled was regarded as 'science fiction' - but that didn't stop Carl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach or Rudolf Diesel.
Now the F125! points the way to sustainable future transport, beyond fossil fuels.