MB F 500 Mind - Multivision on Four Wheels

Press Release

F 500 Mind - Multivision on Four Wheels

Striking center ridge in the roof

The rear end of the titanium-colored car appears to be compact, not massive. This effect is created in part by the rear window and rear lights that stretch far into the side panel area and thus optically reduce the length of the back overhang. And with its agile hybrid powertrain, the F 500 Mind is a bundle of energy, as the pronounced front and back fenders show. In combination with the side panels’ prominent shoulders and the raised roof, they project a powerful image. One of the car’s most eye-catching features is the center ridge that visually connects the exterior to the interior. The roof windows located to the left and right of the center ridge create transparency and lightness. At the same time, the center ridge is �supported� by the middle pillar, which is located in the center of the vehicle and helps lend the essential rigidity to the roof structure. The S-shaped middle pillar also enables the passengers riding in the back of the F 500 Mind to feel comfortable. One way it does so is by directing the air flow generated by the air-conditioning system to the back seats. In this system, the air nozzles can be installed in the roof or at the back-seat passengers’ head level. In the past, it was impossible to offer such a feature. The center pillar also has one other additional function: Parts of the interior lighting can be installed in it, creating a new ambience in the vehicle cabin.

Agile power plant under the hood

During the F 500 project, the engineers at DaimlerChrysler developed the first hybrid engine for a research vehicle. Under the hood, a 4-liter, V8 diesel engine with 184 kW and an electric motor with 50 kW provide a dynamic driving performance. Thanks to the skillful combination of the combustion engine and the electric motor � experts speak of a �P2 configuration,� � the individual torques are added together. As a result, drivers can take full advantage of an extremely powerful surge of acceleration when they pass another vehicle. But the researchers had more in mind than just driving fun when they were working on this new drive concept. �Close-to-production hybrid powertrains like the one in the F 500 Mind dramatically cut fuel consumption and emissions,� says Prof. Herbert Kohler, who is both the head of the research directorate Research Body and Powertrain (RBP) and the Group’s chief environmental officer. The potential fuel savings, as defined by the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), are up to 20 percent higher than those associated with comparable conventional drives. About 10 percent can be attributed to the electric motor, while about six percent is the result of regeneration � in other words, the recovery of kinetic energy. This energy is converted into electricity when the brakes are applied and is stored in a new type of lithium-ion battery. And, finally, about four percent of the fuel savings result from the so-called load point shift in the combustion engine. This shift is possible with the hybrid concept and leads to improved overall efficiency. The diesel engine of the F 500 is shut off completely during starts, during slow travel in city traffic or during stop-and-go driving in congestion. In such situations, the electric motor alone moves the vehicle forward. And because its torque is available right from the start, the vehicle can get off to a fast start. As the speed increases, the combustion engine is started, and both power plants operate together for a short period. Because the diesel engine is tow-started, no conventional starter is necessary. In normal driving situations, like on the highway, the electric motor is shut off and the combustion engine propels the car by itself. During acceleration � to pass, for example � the electric motor is automatically activated. This �booster function� makes the hybrid powertrain particularly agile. When the brakes are applied, the diesel engine switches off and the electric motor is used for regeneration. It is driven by the wheels through the five-speed automatic transmission and now � operating as a generator � charges the drive battery. If necessary, the battery can also be recharged while the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed. When the combustion engine doesn’t have to operate at full power, it can also drive the electrical machine, which then generates electricity.

A pioneering exhaust system

Given all the other innovations, it’s not surprising that the F 500 Mind boasts a pioneering exhaust system. Here, the experts from Stuttgart use a sophisticated, sensor-controlled system to purify the diesel exhaust. As a result, the F 500 complies with the future Euro 4 limits and has the potential to fulfill even stricter emission standards. People who open the driver’s door in the F 500 Mind shouldn’t be alarmed when they see the steering wheel move to the side. In fact, the wheel actually slides 14 centimeters toward the vehicle’s middle to enable the driver to easily get in and get out. The movements are possible because the designers have abandoned the use of a continuous mechanical steering column. In its place, the F 500 has a drive-by-wire steering system in which the steering movements are transmitted as electronic commands, rather than via mechanical systems. The steering wheel and the steering gear are connected with each other only through cable and data. To ensure that the connection is as secure as a mechanical one, all of the various components are at least duplicated and in some cases are even present fourfold to provide redundancy.