Mercedes Ener-G-Force Concept


A cool design study from Mercedes-Benz demonstrates how the genes of the classic off-roader from 1979 may still assert themselves far into the future. It is based on the concept of a future police car developed for the Los Angeles Design Challenge.

The Los Angeles Design Challenge 2012 looks far ahead with a quest for the "Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025". Law enforcement will have to prepare for even more crowded roads with electronically monitored and guided traffic, a much larger population and changes in human behavior. People will still feel young and active even later in life. Outdoor activities will dominate leisure, as will the desire for freedom and adventure. Enhanced green-car characteristics and off-road capabilities will be among the fundamental virtues of a police car in 2025.

As an environmentally friendly SUV, the Ener-G-Force, which Mercedes-Benz is presenting in Los Angeles as a design study, meets these requirements and would be fully capable of supporting police and emergency services in every corner of the world. The small glass areas make the police vehicle a safe cocoon for law enforcement officers who are faced with many dangers. Emergency lights integrated into the roof are impossible to ignore; the striking front leaves no doubt as to the commanding presence of the police, and the gigantic wheels guarantee the right-of-way even where no way exists.


Of course the concept of the Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force for the Los Angeles Design Challenge is pure, rendered science fiction. However, the notion of designing tomorrow's off-roader intrigued the designers at the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Carlsbad, California to such an extent that they evolved the vision of a police version into a civilian version and even built a 1:1-scale model. The shape of the civilian Ener-G-Force is modeled after the G-Class, the off-road icon whose continuous history goes all the way back to the 1970s and that to this very day still tackles the future as a stylistically and technologically advanced SUV.

Like the police version, the model of the civilian Ener-G-Force is unmistakably inspired by the G-Class, which has long been considered an automotive icon. However, it presents a radical reinterpretation of this classic that looks far into the future. Important genes such as proportions and design elements were completely redesigned and updated in a clean concept for beyond tomorrow. Ener-G-Force Designer Hubert Lee: "Of course we wanted to take a clear step forward, but we also wanted the G's characteristic features". The Ener-G-Force has a similar profile, however with a high shoulder line and scaled-down glass areas.


The distinctive roof and the 3-panel greenhouse also echo fundamental genes of the classic G-Class from Mercedes-Benz, but represent a clear step forward. This is also evident in the large wheels, whose 20-inch rims give the Ener-G-Force a powerful, towering stance. The Ener-G-Force also plays on the utility factor in an entirely new way. For instance, the distinctive feature in the rear is a slightly off-center pull-out compartment whose cover occupies the traditional location of the spare wheel cover of the classic G-Class. This pull-out tool box can hold a wide variety of equipment that are quickly within reach without having to open the entire tailgate.

The Ener-G-Force emits nothing but water, has an operating range of about 500 miles and as a result truly is a green car. Four wheel-hub motors, whose output for each individual wheel is adapted precisely to the respective terrain by high-performance electronics, provide the pulling power. A "Terra- Scan" 360-degree topography scanner on the roof permanently scans the surroundings and uses the results to adjust the spring and damping rates as well as other suspension parameters for maximum traction on the respective surface, regardless of whether it is on- or off-road. The strikingly styled side skirts house either the energy storage units or hot-swappable battery packs. Changes in the color of the illumination of the side skirts indicate the operating and charge status of the energy packs. A roof rack and additional lamps are integrated into the roof. The entire design appears to have been carved from a single piece. The overall presentation of the Ener-G-Force is clean - stylistically and functionally.