The future belongs to electric drives, which are the key to sustainable individual mobility. Daimler has been pursuing corresponding concepts for a number of years now, and many of them have made their way into vehicles. The most recent example is the Concept BlueZERO. The near-series concept car can be equipped with three different electric drive systems.

Vergrößern   Concept BlueZERO

Adistinctive radiator grille with a large star in the middle. Dynamic lateral lines on the flanks. A metallic-painted body that exudes power and excitement. There is no debating that with this car, the Concept BlueZERO, Mercedes-Benz is redefining its familiar design idiom. What’s more, the dynamic exterior design symbolizes innovative forms of mobility that will be based on electric cars.

In a figurative sense, the near-series concept car represents the sustainable concepts with which Mercedes-Benz is showing the way forward when it comes to environmentally responsible electric mobility. “The flexible BlueZERO concept basically allows electric mobility for every requirement,” says Thomas Weber, the Daimler AG Board member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes- Benz Cars Development. “It also highlights the fact that Mercedes-Benz is the only automaker to already have all the key technologies for electric cars that are suitable for everyday use.”

Modular construction kit: The BlueZERO concept car kills three birds with one stone. Three models with different electric drives can be produced on the basis of a single vehicle architecture — the sandwich floor from the A-Class and B-Class. But the design engineers behind the flexible vehicle concept are interested in more than just the technical aspects of installing an electric motor in a car body. “Where will the electricity that powers the car come from, for example? How does it get into the vehicle? And how sustainable are these energy sources?” These are the questions asked by the engineers who are working intensively on new drives, while under tremendous pressure in all matters related to electric cars.

Flexible high-tech trio: The modular concept of the BlueZERO has resulted in a spirited trio that can truly fulfill every customer requirement in terms of sustainable mobility. All three models are packed with state-of-theart technology, including liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries with up to 35 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity. As is typical for this class of car, all three feature front-wheel drive. The compact electric motor between the front wheels has a maximum output of 100 kilowatts, continuous output of 70 kilowatts, and peak torque of 320 newton-meters. All three of the variants can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in less than 11 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 150 kilometers per hour to ensure optimal cruising range and energy efficiency.