Mercedes Unveils BlueZERO Trio of Electric Concept Cars
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada 
on 12.16.08
Mercedes BlueZERO: One Body, Three Drivetrains
Mercedes has given us more information about its BlueZERO trio of concept cars. I'll be able to see it in person in Detroit in January, but in the meantime, here's what we know about it: A single architecture designed to be modular so that three different drivetrains can be used. The E-CELL version is battery-electric, the E-CELL PLUS is similar but has a small internal combustion engine to act as a range-extender (like on the BYD F3DM or GM Volt), and the F-CELL is a hydrogen fuel cell model. Read on for more details.
From the Mercedes press release:
All these models feature battery packs based on the latest lithium-ion technology. This new battery technology has decisive advantages over conventional battery types, among them very compact dimensions, significantly higher performance, excellent reliability and a long operating life. The common components used in the modular system also include the compact, permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, which operates at a maximum of 13,280 rpm. It develops a peak output of 100 kW and a continuous output of 70 kW. Its peak torque is 320 Nm, while the continuous torque is 180 Nm. The maximum torque is available from the first revolution of the electric motor and exceeds the figure achieved by a current V6 petrol engine at 2500 rpm.
The battery has a capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) and is located in the middle of the vehicle, under the passengers in the "sandwich floor". This protects the battery in case of accident, and since that's the most expensive thing in the car, that's a good thing.
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I don't like the grille too much, but the tech specs are very nice. Wish they would commercially produce the plug-in hybrid one.
I like it. Too bad it's a Mercedes so it's probably going to cost a small fourtune.
Wish, it's sold in Europe soon.
sweet tech specs... crappy, CRAPPY look. what the hell is up with beemer and merc these days anyway?? the cars tend to look more and more .....wierd. What happened to straight lines, sharp cuts blended with fluid curves that made cars beautiful to look at.... I wish they'd make just one car like the old marquees (not sure thats the way it's spelled..) I love those old cars
Courtney... the Mercedes Concept BlueZERO will also be sold at Europe in the near future...
One way to promote electic cars and a wonderful way to help gas filling stations from suffering from lower gas sales is to have a charging system for batteries, so that when users want to charge up and dont want to wait the 4 hours to 8 hours that takes to fully charge one, they can just change the ones in their cars for charged ones. The gas station would collect the electric cost plus a fee.