Mercedes-Benz’ radical F125 concept car was thought to be little more than a fleeting glance into the future when it debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, but one of the automaker’s high-ranking executives has revealed that the car could actually indicate the future of the brand’s flagship S-Class model.
In its current form, the S-Class is a large luxury sedan boasting big and powerful engines. However, that’s not exactly in line with the industry’s downsizing trend, meaning something has to give.
Some luxury buyers will continue to demand a large four-door, so Mercedes is starting to think about the future of its S-Class – all the way to 2025, to be exact. By that time the United States will require new cars to average 54.5mpg while European cars will have to emit just 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Mercedes’ cleanest S-Class model current spews 149 grams of CO2 per kilometer, while its AMG models emit as much as 300 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
“If zero emission mobility will be necessary, and that’s what we believe, it’s clear we have to change to electric mobility,” Thomas Weber, Mercedes R&D head, said about the future of the S-Class.
The F125 concept featured a plug-in fuel-cell drivetrain, which could be one option for the 2025 S-Class. Weber believes that a vehicle will need an all-electric range of at least 620 miles in 2025, which would be possible with the F125′s drive system. It remains to be seen if hydrogen-power vehicles will be ready for prime time in 2025, but Mercedes is certainly pushing to have the technology ready in the not-too-distance future.
References
1.’M-B hints at…’ view
