Mercedes Mercedes F 800 - impressions
02/19/2011
Z fear of the future? Are you worried because the hybrid and electric cars of the future will seem so unemotional? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. Even the first contact with the Mercedes F 800 Style warms the soul on this cold autumn day. The two LED headlights of the concept vehicle aggressively target the curious journalist. In between, an old friend says hello: The steeply standing radiator grille looks like the face of the Mercedes SLS AMG. The two seeps on the bonnet, which taper towards the front, provide additional dynamism. Boredom does indeed look different.
Average consumption of 2.9 liters per 100 kilometers
The drive of the future is hidden under the sheet metal. A plug-in hybrid is used in the Mercedes F 800, which the Swabians made available to us exclusively for a long ride. Thanks to the combination of the 300 hp V6 gasoline engine of the new Move generation and an 80 kW electric motor, an average of just 2.9 liters per 100 kilometers should flow through the combustion chambers of the six-cylinder (CO2: 68 g /km).
What is special: unlike many other hybrid vehicles, the combustion engine of the Mercedes F 800 only switches on when the driver depresses the accelerator pedal by more than 90 percent. This means that quick overtaking maneuvers, for example on country roads, are possible in purely electric mode.
Perfect interaction between gasoline and electric drive
We were able to see for ourselves at the wheel of a Mercedes S-Class test vehicle how well this interaction between electric and gasoline engine works. Because in order not to let the heart rate of the Mercedes engineers shoot up unnecessarily, we took a posh seat in the passenger seat of the F 800, which cost several million euros.
In the Mercedes S-Class test vehicle with identical drive technology, we were able to take control of a total of 409 hp ourselves. Completely jerk-free, the V6 offers its support when needed and just as imperceptibly switches off again as soon as its additional potency is no longer required. It is making rapid progress. According to Mercedes, the plug-in hybrid drive should accelerate the F 800 from standstill to 100 km /h in just 4.8 seconds. The Swabians put the top speed at 250 km /h.
Even without the support of the V6, the sedan quickly accelerates. Only theRolling noise from the smooth-running tires and subtle wind noise on the ear cups at higher speeds - a very pleasant driving experience. The relatively high drag torque of the electric motor as soon as you take your right foot off the accelerator pedal takes some getting used to. It brakes the vehicle slightly, but in return ensures that the Li-ion batteries are recharged using recuperation while driving.
In electric mode, the Mercedes F 800 runs up to 120 km /h
With the power of the electric motor alone, the Mercedes F 800 runs up to 120 km /h. The lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 10 kWh is hidden under the back seat. It should enable a range of up to 30 kilometers in electric mode. Then the Mercedes F 800 has to be plugged in for around five hours. Fast charging should shorten the charging time to around 15 minutes.
The interior of the Mercedes F 800 is dominated by curved lines. Real wood creates a homely atmosphere on both the dashboard and the doors. Thanks to the glass roof, the light-flooded interior of the Mercedes F 800 appears very airy. The wide center console houses the new operating concept with the so-called cam touch pad. The movements of the hand on the touchpad are recorded by a camera and shown on the central display as transparent fingers. The advantage: the screen is not only covered by your own hand.
The driver can freely program the assignment of the central display. In addition to the speed display, the Mercedes F 800 also informs its conductor about the current energy flows or the remaining range. The navigation system also shows the possible range of action in purely electric mode on a map. The two seats in the rear offer adults enough legroom, but the coupé-like roofline forces passengers over 1.80 meters to make concessions in terms of headroom.
Mercedes F 800 drives by itself
Another technical innovation finds its place in the Mercedes F 800. With the traffic jam assistant, Mercedes presents a further development of the Distronic Plus distance cruise control. The main aim of the system is to facilitate driving in traffic jams. It follows the vehicle in front, accelerates and brakes automatically and, for the first time, also takes over the steering work up to a speed of 40 km /h. Distance radar sensors and an additional stereo camera feed the system with the necessary information. The Distronic Plus was able to convince in our self-test. Even if the person in front leaves the lane, the driver assistant remains on course and is guided by the lane markings. The driver only has to keep one hand on the steering wheel, but can also override the system at any time.
Mercedes F 800 also with fuel cell drive
In addition to the plug-in hybrid technologyIn the Mercedes F 800, thanks to the modular design, the fuel cell electric drive from the Mercedes B-Class F-Cell can also be used. This would provide 136 hp and 290 Nm of torque, and the maximum range would increase to up to 600 kilometers thanks to the total of four hydrogen tanks. Whether and when this technology will find its way into series production is still in the stars.
One thing is clear, however: the plug-in hybrid drive that we drive will be used in the next generation of the S-Class. The time will come in 2012. Then luxury limousines will glide through the city centers almost noiselessly and, above all, locally emission-free. Fears of the future and worries? No way.
