The old C111 prototypes gave Mercedes-Benz the idea for the future Vision One-Eleven. Mercedes says that the electric motor in the One-Eleven is smaller and lighter than the radial-flux motors found in EVs today that are just as strong. The inside of the car has a dashboard made of different LED pixels, a square driving wheel, and silver seats that shine. In the 1960s and 1970s, Mercedes-Benz C111 prototypes with a range of turbo-diesel and Wankel rotary engines were used to try out new powertrain technology. Mercedes-Benz has shown off a new concept car called the Vision One-Eleven. Like its predecessor, it shows how the company will change as the auto industry moves away from gas engines and toward electric power. The Vision One-Eleven looks like a sleek supercar because it was modelled after the first C111 prototype, painted a beautiful orange shade with dramatic gullwing doors. The idea’s single line and shallow curves reminded me of the aerodynamics of Mercedes’ EQS and EQE EVs, which have the cab in front. The design is supported by sizable black side skirts, a front splitter, and a large back diffuser that lights up blue. The peak of the roof is only about 46 inches high. Mercedes says that this makes the One-Eleven look like it is “fused with the road surface,” it also has something to do with the black accents on the C111. The front of the One-Eleven doesn’t have a hood. Instead, it has an oval panel with pixelated LEDs that look like the fog lights on the C111 and may also send messages to other cars and people on the street. On the back, there’s a similar panel, and the opaque windows have a pixelated design that we’ve seen before on Mercedes concepts like the Vision AMG. The huge wheels are made to look like the windings in electric motors because of their complicated shape. The Interior is surprisingly big: Even though the outside of the One-Eleven looks like a high-performance racecar, the inside can be turned into a lounge. This is a feature of many electric designs from the future. Even though the body is low, the interior is pretty extensive, and since there is no engine behind the driver, the seats can be moved back. In “race” mode, the backs of the chairs stand up straight. The One-Eleven’s Interior is also orange, with a white panel of recycled polyester that stands out against the brightly coloured leather that Mercedes says was dyed with coffee bean husks. The board is simple, with a full-width LED pixel display that is meant to look like old-fashioned news tickers while also showing important information like speed. We don’t know why, but it also indicates QR codes linking to digital artworks that show up on the tablet. The polished aluminium clocks, buttons, and gas and brake pedals stand out against the shiny silver seats based on old astronaut uniforms. A small touchscreen is directed at the driver from the steering column, wrapped in leather and shaped like an odd rectangle. Mercedes also talked about AR headwear that turns the Interior into a user interface with 3D controls, navigation signs, and maps. AR technology will make the A-pillars and hood of the One-Eleven look see-through, which will improve sight from the outside. Details about the motor and battery: The One-Eleven design is powered by an axial-flux motor made by YASA, a British battery company that Mercedes bought in total in 2021. Mercedes says this engine is “potent” in a vague way. Mercedes says that axial-flux motors, which are used in most EVs now, weigh one-third less than radial-flux motors of the same power, and this technology is being worked on for the next wave of EVs. Also, it only takes up one-third of the room that is there. Mercedes says the battery comprises “liquid-cooled cylindrical cells with a novel cell chemistry.” These cells were inspired by Mercedes-AMG High-Performance Powertrain, which makes the engines for Mercedes’ Formula 1 car. Even though the Vision One-Eleven is unlikely to be made, its beautiful design should affect future Mercedes cars, and we expect to see axial-flux motors in the company’s electric vehicles in the next few years.
