Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven, the concept of a luxury electric sports car
With its out-of-the-ordinary design, the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven wins you over at first glance. Its design, combined with its technology from the legendary C 111 experimental vehicles of the 1960s and 1970s, which were used to test the revolutionary Wankel and turbodiesel engines, make possible this concept with a clear sporty reinterpretation of the One-Bow design. Head of Design, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Gorden Wagener, said:
“Our aim at Mercedes-Benz is not to design, our aim is to create icons. For me, that makes the difference between conventional design and luxury. Design icons such as the Type 300 SL and the C 111, both with gull-wing doors, are part of our DNA. These legendary vehicles were a major inspiration for the iconic design of the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven. This is beauty and the extraordinary united in a vision of the future.
Our all-electric vision show car is the modern interpretation of the C 111, which was avant-garde at the time. The element of surprise comes from its exceptionally clean, purist and, at the same time, extremely muscular proportions. This iconic clarity is also reflected in the interior. The equally sensual yet minimalist design language represents ICONIC LUXURY by Mercedes-Benz.”
This concept, reminiscent in some respects of the Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR, the Avatar-inspired all-electric sports car that… was controlled by the mind!
Technical aspects
With luxury in sight, the Vision One-Eleven debuts innovative all-electric powertrain technology. Its technical highlights include the powerful and efficient axial-flow motor developed by electric motor specialist YASA (wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG from July 2021). Mercedes-Benz Group AG board member, chief technology officer, Markus Schäfer, commented:
“The Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven combines impressive design with innovative powertrain technology. Like its historic namesake, it explores new paths for the future of sporty performance.
At the heart of the compact and extremely efficient powertrain is the innovative high-tech YASA axial-flow electric motor. It offers motorsport-like power output in a considerably smaller package. This makes the YASA axial-flow motor ideal for high-performance electric vehicles.
Combined with the liquid-cooled cylindrical cell battery with Formula 1-inspired cell chemistry, the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven is another proof point for the broad performance spectrum encompassed by our four-pronged development strategy for electric drive.”
It incorporates a new battery concept featuring high-performance liquid-cooled cylindrical cells with novel cell chemistry. It equips two axial-flow motors from YASA, which thanks to their high efficiency and lower weight, as well as taking up less space, open up new possibilities for future high-performance electric cars. The vehicle’s height of just 1,170 mm also contributes to its high efficiency.
The company has said that the future generation of YASA axial-flow engines will be produced at the Mercedes-Benz Berlin-Marienfelde plant. The engines produced there will be fitted in the powertrain for the performance segment.
Exterior
The colour of the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven, copper orange, is more intense than that of the C 111 and also changes with the light. Other notable features of the side view include the gull-wing doors and side windows, which are opaque from the outside and camouflaged by a pixelated pattern.
At the front, the panel is a flexible external display with a 3D pixelated look . It interprets the round lights characteristic of the C 111 in digitised form and can also transmit messages to other road users. The inside face of the wheels is equipped with circular lighting elements.
As is customary in such futuristic concepts as the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven, the brand has included details relating to autonomous driving, such as the exterior message transmission mentioned above, as well as the inclusion of a retractable steering wheel and movable seats, depending on the selected driving mode.
Interior
Mercedes-Benz has also paid particular attention to the use of materials in the Vision One-Eleven. The large surfaces, upholstered in white fabric, are made of 100 percent recycled polyester. Other elements, such as the armrests on the sills and the centre console, as well as the rear tray under the rear windscreen, are covered in bright orange leather, which has been sustainably processed and tanned with coffee bean hulls.
The seats, which are inspired by Formula 1 cars, also feature an orange four-point harness. The steering wheel is equipped with various functional controls and touch elements, complemented by a compact touchscreen with high-resolution display mounted on the side of the steering wheel and angled towards the driver.
There is also a pixel screen that spans the full width of the dashboard and displays a stream of raster QR codes, evolving the MBUX Hyperscreen with a focus on flexible interfaces. In addition, it also incorporates augmented reality via the Magic Leap 2 headset.
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