Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force concept is a G-Class for the future

Jon

2012-11-22 23:02:38 UTC

From AB
Ener-G-Force off-road for tomorrow
MONTVALE, NJ Is it possible that the Mercedes-Benz G-Class will
still be around in 2025? A cool design study from Mercedes-Benz
demonstrates how the genes of the classic off-roader from 1979 may
still assert themselves far into the future. It is based on the
concept of a future police car developed for the Los Angeles Design
Challenge.
The Los Angeles Design Challenge 2012 looks far ahead with a quest for
the "Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025". Law enforcement will have
to prepare for even more crowded roads with electronically monitored
and guided traffic, a much larger population and changes in human
behavior. People will still feel young and active even later in life.
Outdoor activities will dominate leisure, as will the desire for
freedom and adventure. The new times will also call for new police
vehicles. They must be able to reach any place conceivable quickly and
reliably even far away from any pavement. And they must do so in an
exceptionally environmentally friendly way using alternative energy
sources. Enhanced green-car characteristics and off-road capabilities
will be among the fundamental virtues of a police car in 2025.
As an environmentally friendly SUV, the Ener-G-Force, which
Mercedes-Benz is presenting in Los Angeles as a design study, meets
these requirements and would be fully capable of supporting police and
emergency services in every corner of the world. Gorden Wagener,
Director of Design at Mercedes-Benz Cars: "The Ener-G-Force is
the vision of an off-roader that, while reflecting tomorrow's
adventures, also invokes the genes of the Mercedes-Benz off-road icon,
the G-Class. Modern and cool, it could also be a clue about a new
beginning for the off-road design idiom of Mercedes-Benz".
The small glass areas make the police vehicle a safe cocoon for law
enforcement officers who are faced with many dangers. Emergency lights
integrated into the roof are impossible to ignore; the striking front
leaves no doubt as to the commanding presence of the police, and the
gigantic wheels guarantee the right-of-way even where no way exists.
Back from the future clean concept for beyond tomorrow
Of course the concept of the Ener-G-Force for the Los Angeles Design
Challenge is pure, rendered science fiction. However, the notion of
designing tomorrow's off-roader intrigued the designers at the
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Carlsbad, California to such
an extent that they evolved the vision of a police version into a
civilian version and even built a 1:1-scale model. Like the
"Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025", the shape of the civilian
Ener-G-Force is modeled after the G-Class, the off-road icon whose
continuous history goes all the way back to the 1970s and that to this
very day still tackles the future as a stylistically and
technologically advanced SUV.
Like the police version, the model of the civilian Ener-G-Force is
unmistakably inspired by the G-Class, which has long been considered
an automotive icon.However, it presents a radical reinterpretation of
this classic that looks far into the future. Important genes such as
proportions and design elements were completely redesigned and updated
in a clean concept for beyond tomorrow.Ener-G-Force Designer Hubert
Lee: "Of course we wanted to take a clear step forward, but we
also wanted the G's characteristic features". The Ener-G-Forcehas
a similar profile, however with a high shoulder line and scaled-down
glass areas.
While the clear design idiom of the G-Class has remained, all surfaces
are designed to express intensity and tension. The meticulously
executed details are also a clear indication that the Ener-G-Force is
the product of modern times. Like the G-Class, the Ener-G-Force sports
a front with an expressive radiator grille that incorporates the
headlamps. The LEDs in the headlamps form the shape of the letter 'G',
which gives the Ener-G-Force a bold, dominating appearance. The front
turn signals and running lights are mounted on top of the fenders, a
trademark G-Class element.
The distinctive roof and the 3-panel greenhouse also echo fundamental
genes of the classic G-Class from Mercedes-Benz, but represent a clear
step forward.This is also evident in the large wheels, whose 20-inch
rims give the Ener-G-Force a powerful, towering stance. The
Ener-G-Force also plays on the utility factor in an entirely new way.
For instance, the distinctive feature in the rear is a slightly
off-center pull-out compartment whose cover occupies the traditional
location of the spare wheel cover of the classic G-Class. This
pull-out tool box can hold a wide variety of equipment that are
quickly within reach without having to open the entire tailgate.
Bursting with energy
The Ener-G-Force stores recycled water in tanks on the roof, and
transfers it to the "hydro-tech converter," where natural
and renewable resources are converted into hydrogen for operating the
fuel cells. The storage units for the electricity generated in this
process are housed easily accessible in the striking side skirts. The
Ener-G-Force emits nothing but water, has an operating range of about
500 miles and as a result truly is a green car. Four wheel-hub motors,
whose output for each individual wheel is adapted precisely to the
respective terrain by high-performance electronics, provide the
pulling power. A "Terra-Scan" 360-degree topography scanner
on the roof permanently scans the surroundings and uses the results to
adjust the spring and damping rates as well as other suspension
parameters for maximum traction on the respective surface, regardless
of whether it is on- or off-road.
The strikingly styled side skirts house either the energy storage
units or hot-swappable battery packs. Changes in the color of the
illumination of the side skirts indicate the operating and charge
status of the energy packs. A roof rack and additional lamps are
integrated into the roof. The entire design appears to have been
carved from a single piece. The overall presentation of the
Ener-G-Force is clean stylistically and functionally.
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=200490577#200490577

Can't wait for 2025, Daimler make this now!