EQ fortwo provides a new vision of urban mobility

A year after announcing plans to launch an all-new sub-brand dedicated to battery-electric vehicles, Mercedes-Benz will unveil at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week with the Concept EQ A, a long-range EV set to go up against the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt.

The debut of the Concept EQ A follows the preview of the original Generation EQ Concept at last year’s Paris Motor Show. Next an adventurous number of the battery-electric line-up the German maker plans to  manufacture under the Mercedes-EQ badge. They state that at  least 10 BEVs are scheduled to reach market by 2025, according to Dieter Zetsche, head of the Mercedes brand and CEO of parent Daimler AG.

The production version of the EQA hatchback will be one of new small cars Mercedes is planning.  This includes a compact crossover expected to be called the GLB, as well as updated and all-new versions of current models like the Mercedes-Benz A- and B-Class models.

The smart vision EQ fortwo provides a new vision of urban mobility and individualized, highly flexible, totally efficient local public transport: the autonomous concept vehicle picks up its passengers directly from their chosen location. New individualization options help users to recognize that it is "their" vehicle: by means of the Black Panel Grille at the front as well as large projection surfaces at the sides, the smart vision EQ fortwo allows unprecedented individualization of the vehicle, ideal for car sharing. Freed from the task of driving, the passengers are able to relax in the large interior. The show car is the first vehicle from the Daimler Group to dispense with a steering wheel and pedals.

The smart vision EQ fortwo is also a car in which all of the individual fields of expertize that make up the CASE corporate strategy are combined, allowing users in the city intuitive access to individual mobility. CASE stands for the strategic pillars of connectivity (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric drive systems (Electric).

With the electrically powered smart vision EQ fortwo, smart is presenting a concept vehicle from the relatively recent product and technology brand EQ at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show. More than ten new electric cars are set to go into series production at Mercedes-Benz Cars by 2022, from the smart to the large SUV. smart took the first step back in 2007 with the smart electric drive and today optionally offers all its models with an electric powertrain.

"The smart vision EQ fortwo is our vision of future urban mobility; it is the most radical car sharing concept car of all: fully autonomous, with maximum communication capabilities, friendly, comprehensively personalisable and, of course, electric," says smart CEO Annette Winkler. "With the smart vision EQ fortwo, we are giving a face to the themes with which Mercedes-Benz Cars describes the vision of future mobility within the CASE strategy."

The smart vision EQ fortwo is a new vision of car sharing. Because transforming "urban traffic" into "city flow" in future will not only benefit the users but the public at large too, cities and municipal authorities are also a target group for future car sharing concepts from smart. Currently, a car2go vehicle is hired somewhere in the world every 1.4 seconds. At present car2go has over 2.6 million customers worldwide – and the number is growing all the time. The latest studies predict that the number of users of car sharing schemes worldwide will have quintupled by 2025 to 36.7 million. One of the factors that make car2go so popular is that free-floating car sharing is spontaneous and flexible. The car does not have to be picked up from or taken back to a specific location. It can be hired and left anywhere in the designated "home" area.

The smart vision EQ fortwo concept vehicle demonstrates how autonomous driving could make future car sharing even more convenient, simple and economically efficient. Thanks to swarm intelligence and autonomous driving, the smart vision EQ fortwo heralds a new era in car sharing: users do not have to look for the next available car – it will find them and collect the passengers directly from their chosen location. And thanks to swarm intelligence and the resulting predictability of demand, it will probably already be nearby, making the journey to pick up a "hire car" a thing of the past. The interconnected vehicles are always on the road. Utilization increases and at the same time the amount of traffic and the number of parking spaces required in urban areas are reduced.

The smart vision EQ fortwo is summoned using a mobile device. New individualization options help users to recognize that it is "their" vehicle: the Black Panel at the front (size: 44 inches/105 x 40 cm) as well as large projection surfaces at the sides allow the smart vision EQ fortwo to be personalized. LED displays in place of the headlamps can echo a classic look (from sporty to neutral) or take on an eye-like shape, which allows the vehicle to communicate on a more human level. The rear lamps can also have a conventional look or provide detailed information - for example warnings or traffic information. The front radiator grille serves on the one hand to add a personal touch and on the other to communicate with other road users (e.g. information for pedestrians crossing the road). The doors of the show car are coated with a film that can be activated as required. If the car is unoccupied, information about local events, the weather, news or the time can be displayed. The smart's Black Panel Grille indicates whether the car is occupied by one or by two passengers.

Those who want can use the 1+1 sharing function to make contact with other interesting users. Possible passengers are suggested on the basis of their saved profiles and current travel plans, and can be accepted or rejected. When two passengers are on board, the large display in the interior shows shared interests such as concerts they have recently attended or sports that they play. The extra time gained as a result of travelling in an autonomous vehicle can be used to chat and interact.

The smart vision EQ fortwo features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 30 kWh. When not in use, it makes its way independently to a charging station to load up with new energy. Alternatively, the cars can dock with the power grid inductively, feed in electricity and act as a "swarm battery", taking pressure off the grid. smart is playing a key role here in shaping the energy revolution.

The smart vision EQ fortwo (length/width/height: 2699/1720/1535 mm) is a cool two-seater and, like all smart models, scores with a maximum of room in a minimum of space. The vehicle communicates by means of a Black Panel Grille and LED displays, which replace headlamps and tail lamps. The side windows are covered with a special film onto which information can be projected from inside. The front area of the interior features a Black Panel Display for user interface activities.

"The smart vision EQ fortwo embodies the urban luxury of the future. It is a radical approach with a cool and minimalist design. The show car has the hallmark smart proportions, with accentuated, pronounced wheel arches at the four corners and with no overhang," says Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG. "A multiplicity of digital surfaces inside and outside allows the next level of communication between human and automobile. The customer is able to personalize the vehicle according to their individual needs."

Mercedes designers state that the exterior is like a piece of jewelry with a receptacle symbolically encircling a precious pearl. With the "one-and-a-half box" design, the pronounced, powerful wheel arches and the short overhangs at the front and rear, the proportions are typically smart.

The new door concept is a distinctive feature. To save space, the two doors pivot wing-like over the rear axle, making access easier and creating a fascinating architecture. The door concept also reduces the danger of collision with cyclists and pedestrians the engineers and designers state.

Rose gold-colored, three-dimensional elements in the wheels and in the diffuser allude to the electric drive system and create a bridge to the hallmark EQ design. The side windows have a tapering hexagonal look.

The clear, future-oriented exterior design is reinforced by white metallic surfaces and dark-tinted glass surfaces. In a contemporary and technological manner, the smart plays with color on the exterior by means of a large number of display graphics.

Mercedes Benz say that the color scheme of the smart vision EQ fortwo features a cool and futuristic look which is combined with warm touches of rose gold.

The show car is the first of the Daimler Group's vehicles to take the logical step of dispensing with the steering wheel and pedals. The vehicle functions are controlled via personal mobile device or voice input, an arrangement that is intuitive, convenient and hygienic. Dispensing with conventional control elements makes the white interior appear even more spacious. The dashboard is replaced by a 24‑inch (58.5 x 15.6 cm) screen which is surrounded by a rose gold-colored frame. The outer edges feature two smaller displays (four-inch), which can be used by the smart vision EQ fortwo for example to say "Welcome".

Covered with a new, innovative and high-quality man-made leather, the white seats are easy to clean and therefore compatible with the idea of sharing. The lounge-like bench seat offers room for up to two passengers. If required, a retractable centre armrest creates a separation between the occupants or serves as a stowage facility. The white interior creates a generous impression of space.

Further, intelligent stowage options are available on the floor and under the bench seat. Luggage and personal accessories can be secured under blue rubber tightening straps.

A large number of digital surfaces both inside and outside allow a new level of communication between human and automobile with regard to all aspects of autonomous driving and car sharing. The vehicle's colors and screens adapt to its customers, offering a private sanctuary in the bustling city. The user is thus also given the possibility to personalize the vehicle and adapt it to their needs.

CASE – these letters are shaping the future of mobility. They stand for the fields of networking (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric drive systems (Electric). The four CASE fields are an integral part of the corporate strategy of Daimler AG. The aim is to shape intuitive mobility for our customers through intelligent dovetailing of the CASE topics.

Mercedes-Benz Cars states they already play a leading role in all four areas today. For example, all activities in the area of connectivity are focused on the digital brand Mercedes me, which gives customers access to an extensive and personalized range of services by app, website or straight from their car.

On the way to autonomous driving, Mercedes-Benz has for years been a key driver of development and has repeatedly set the benchmark. To this end, the Mercedes engineers use what is known as sensor fusion. The data from different sensors, such as cameras, ultrasound and radar, are intelligently combined and analyzed. With smart vision EQ fortwo, the smart brand is also demonstrating what driving without a steering wheel could look like in the future of carsharing.

The inventor of the car is already playing a leading role in the field of Sharing & Services. The mobility services used by over 14.5 million people range from free-floating carsharing (car2go) and private peer-to-peer carsharing (Croove), through ride-hailing (mytaxi) to the mobility platform (moovel). Mercedes has been at the forefront of car sharing for years.

Mercedes-Benz is pursuing a holistic approach to powertrain electrification. Apart from the EQ brand with a family of vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is also developing a holistic ecosystem, which, alongside the vehicle itself, also comprises a comprehensive electric mobility offering. This extends from intelligent services and energy storage units for private and commercial customers to charging technologies and sustainable recycling. On the road to emission-free driving Daimler is systematically pursuing a three-lane drive system strategy in order to implement maximum environmental compatibility across all vehicle classes (incl. commercial vehicles, vans) – with an intelligent mix of the latest combustion engines and partial electrification through 48-volt technology, tailor-made EQ Power plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles with battery or fuel cell drive systems.

While Mercedes will be spending much of its time in the spotlight at the Frankfurt Motor Show showcasing smaller and greener models, it isn’t entirely walking away from its more traditional focus. One of the most eagerly awaited debuts next week will mark the unveiling of the new Project One supercar.

The hypercar relys on a unique four-motor hybrid electric drive system lifting key technologies from the company’s dominant Formula One program.

INFORMATION PRIMARILY FROM DAIMLER AND MERCEDES NEWS RELEASES.

BRUCE HUBBARD

BRADLEY HUBBARD

BONNIE LYNCH

AUTO ADVISOR GROUP

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