The Mercedes Benz bionic boxfish concept car
We're not entirely sure our friends who are the types to get off rolling in a Benzo are going to feel the
giant-bicycle-helmet looks and the lemon-slice wheels, but we've gotta hand it to DaimlerChrysler on their latest
energy efficient "bionic" concept-car, which was modeled after the tropical boxfish. They're claiming they've got the
drag coefficient to a rock-bottom 0.06, which results in 20% less fuel consumed, but why they didn't bother going the
hybrid or fuelcell route is beyond us, as is their reasoning for otherwise foregoing the manufacturing of a minivan
based on the natural design of a pufferfish. Live and learn.
[Via Core77]
Filed under: Transportation
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
a.sintic @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Uhmmmmmmm......no.
narco @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Why do car companies feel the need to make all energy-efficient cars look like ______? I really looked into the hybrid models and such, but the Prius looks like a futuristic concept car from the 1930's and Hondas never appealed to me.
Maybe since these types of cars appeal more to the hippie crowd, they feel you need to have a certain amount of illegal substances in your system to actually want to buy something like this.
Fishes,
narco.
sparc @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Actually the 0.06 drag coefficient is for the model they made of the actual boxfish, not the car inspired by it. However, the car still clocks in at an impressive 0.19 Cd.
Chalupacabra @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Darn you beat me to it sparc. That's just what I was going to say. But, narco, that is the reason it's designed after a boxfish, not looks (at least I hope not).
Carsten @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
good lord, spare us!
Funny Bunny @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
God damn can they make any uglier cars than that? How about make a mustang concept damn it! People need alot of help these days...
wxrman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Can't wait to see what that thing does over a bump/train track/road debris and how scuffed up the front will get when hitting those parking lot "stops"...
They are always lower as concept cars and then are jacked up and ugly later when they hit production status.
Chris K @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
You guys are completely missing the point. This is not the next A class. This car uses aerodynamics and a diesel engine to get >80MPG. Yes, it's ugly. Yes, the design is not as "practical" as your SUV, but it gets crazy mileage.
Now take lessons learned from this concept car and apply it to a production vehicle. You might see a future A class or C class with similar fender flares or a similar long, rakish rear window to improve mileage.
Fuel cells are not mature. Hybrids have heavy batteries and consume usable space. It's doubtful either system would improve this car. And it's not like Mercedes isn't testing both systems in other vehicles this very moment.
Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
I have a Cadillac EXT 2004 (see my webpage). If they would make an energy efficient version of the EXT and integrate that silly antennae into an in-glass antennae, it would make me so frickin happy!
I can't tell you what its like paying $2.30 a gallon of 93 Octane gas in NYC.
Robert @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Very well said Chris K, except for the part about hybrids. Diesels are a good way to improve mpg, but theyre not without problems. They will always have cancer causing particulate emissions unless a complicated and maintenance intensive filtration system is fitted. Euros dont seem to mind giving each other lung cancer as long as mileage is improved.
Hybrids do add heavy, expensive, batteries, but not to the extent to render a hybrid impractical. Ill agree that as far as fuel economy current diesels can be as good or better as a hybrid as shown by comparing a Jetta TDI to a Prius. Im of the belief that hybrids will be the next big thing in trucks and luxury cars, at least in N. America. The high energy density per volume and distribution network of gasoline is hard to beat. Combine that with the instant torque of an electric motor and tricks like engine cutoff and regenerative brakes and youve got an amazing power train. The downside is initial cost which can be more easily absorbed in luxury vehicles and trucks. The upcoming Lexus LS600h should prove this and generate waves through the market. Unlike the utilitarian Prius, this vehicle will be a real speed demon along the lines of Mercedes AMG.
narco @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
I used to own a VW Golf TDI before they banned the sales of them in California due to emissions. It did get great gas mileage -- on a good day, it went up to 55mpg. I really wish VW would release a hybrid (or whatever). I love their cars and felt I really downsized by purchasing a Scion Xa for the sole purpose of conserving gasoline. It works, but I need power.
Fishes,
narco.
Chasqui @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Arg! This is about the ugliest concept car I have seen in a long time! Yes, it showcases new technology and designs. Concept cars are also supposed to generate a buzz in the consuming public. If people think this thing looks like sh*t, don't expect the "fender flares or a similar long, rakish rear window" to show up in anything. Then again, people might love this design. Robert, I have to agree with you about hybrids.
colbert @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
yes. really looks like a giant-bicycle-helmet
Kevin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
It looks a bit like my 5yo Honda Insight, on steroids. I like it.
Take another look at the front of the car. It's like the cat that ate the canary. Who wouldn't love a face like that?
amin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
damn!
im all for energy efficiency and all that but why cant they make them look better?!
http://www.fast-autos.net/lamborghini/99lamboroadster.html
i think an energy efficient car tht look like the lambo above would sell a hell of a lot better than the turd theyve designed!
Junkmail @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
I'm really interested in these cars that use alternative fuels to power them.
F1 has improved normal cars (fuel systems etc), so maybe someone should introduce a new racing class of electric cars where they could load in a certain amount of electricity.
The industry would take giant leaps ahead competing with each other, they'd all get good publicity as being green and it would be interesting to all the people who are keen on mechanics and electrics.
Plus, it would be ecologically more tolerable to begin with.
innersky @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
#9 "Euros dont seem to mind giving each other lung cancer as long as mileage is improved."
Where are you from, the dark ages?? We do mind, but milage is also important when the fuel price here is three times as high then in the US.
Chris K @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
I totally agree, Robert. I'm not saying that hybrids are bad, or that they WON'T have better mileage than diesels eventually, but at the moment the best way to build a lightweight, high mileage car is with a diesel, so to impress us with the highest possible mileage concept car, they were right to use diesel.
I've got about five years left on the life of my "normal" car. Hopefully there will be some cheap hybrids around by the time my car is ready to retire. I love the technology, especially since I do a lot of stoplight city driving.
Oh, and an electric/hybrid racing series is a great idea. Costs would be very high, however, and I don't know if it could be profitable for any factory teams, even if you factor in the "we have the fastest hybrid" bragging rights. Maybe in a few years?
Luis Camino @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
coefficient of the car is 0.19. the 0,0x values correspond to studies of variations of the boxfish shape.
Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
While I would love to see a grand class of alt fuel race cars like F1 there are currently two races or road rallys that test, push to their limits and show-off advanced transportation tech to each other and one of them to the public. NESEA's Tour de Sol and the Michelin Bibendum.
This year the Tour de Sol hosted their first Monte Carlo Style Road Rally of Hybrid Vehicle Owners to pit them against each other in search of 100 mpg. Some came very close and then they all tore thru the autocross which a team from Philly won. The annual May event will be in its 18th year next Spring and is always packed with the brightest engineers in the business.
sparc @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
I think a lot of people are missing the point of this concept. This was not created as a design study to guage public reaction to some external style. It was done to create an extremely space efficient, aerodynamic design. By basing the exterior on the boxfish, the designers were able to create a boxy (read, space efficient) design that still cheats the wind better than and honda insight. By the looks of it I'd guess this car has roughly the same interior space as a scion xA, while getting a Cd of .19, vs the Insight's .25, or the industry average of ~.30.
DC was just trying to show what's possible, particularly when you look to nature which has developed some extremely good solutions to certain problems. In this case it's aerodynamic efficiency (or more accurately hydrodynamic efficiency) in a space efficient package. I have to give props to DC for achieving these sorts of numbers, particularly in a design at appears fairly production feasable, and even practical.
Robert @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Sparc, thats a good summation of what this vehicle is about. I just want to explain a common misconception about Cd. Just because the Fish has a Cd of .19 and an Insight has one of .25 doesnt mean the Fish cheats the wind better than the Insight. Cd is just one part of the drag equation:
D = 0.5*(Cd)*(density)*(area)*(velocity)^2
With those Cd values the aerodynamic drag of the two will be the same if the Fish has a 32% larger cross sectional area. From its tall roof Id say thats a good estimate. It should also be easier to achieve a lower Cd on a large vehicle then on a small one such as the Insight due to tires. Tires cause a significant increase in aero drag, but their share of drag lessons on vehicles with a larger frontal area. Basically, coefficient of drag is not the same as drag. A big box will always be harder to push down the road then a small box of the same shape.
mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Robert said:
"Diesels are a good way to improve mpg, but theyre not without problems. They will always have cancer causing particulate emissions unless a complicated and maintenance intensive filtration system is fitted. Euros dont seem to mind giving each other lung cancer as long as mileage is improved."
This is not entirely true. Diesel particulate emmissions have been reduced in a number of ways that don't involve filtration. More importantly the biggest diesel emission problem has been addressed in this vehicle by the use of a neat urea-injection system that catalyzes the reduction of NOx called AdBlue. Interesting technology.
Randy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
Finally, the perfect car. Not very sexy, but considering the ever increasing cost of fuel these days, I'm comfortable with trading my vanity for a vehicle that is fuel efficient, comfortable, dependable, and safe.
Jonathan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:54AM
guys.. I don't care what the car looks like. personaly i think this car looks cool. im tyred of all the curent production car designs. to me they are boring. I am mostly concerend about the cars fuel economy and emissions not power or top speed. 1:environmentaly friendly 2:fuel efficency, as long as it gets you safely from point A to point B with out breaking your wallet on fuel and harming the atmosphere your good.