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Mercedes CEO: 'Stay tuned' for an electric G-Wagen SUV
Mercedes-Benz's G-Class Wagon isn't changing for the future in the ways you might expect. Yet. From a preview event at Detroit's crumbling, historic Michigan Theater for the North American International Auto Show, chairman Dieter Zetsche was joined onstage by Arnold Schwarzenegger to talk about the iconic SUV's improvements. Given where Schwarzenegger used to hold office -- California -- and his environmental bend, The Governator had a pressing question for Zetsche: "What is the future [of Mercedes] in fossil fuels? Does this G-Wagen eventually come out as an electric G-Wagen?" He has the world's first one at home in Los Angeles, he said.
Cruising the Las Vegas Strip in the Smart Vision EQ concept car
Introduced at the Frankfurt auto show in September, the Smart Vision EQ from Mercedes-Benz is the automaker's EV concept that combines mobility, autonomy and connectivity. The result is a car built on the Smart Fortwo platform, can wink at pedestrians, has level-five autonomy (no steering wheel or pedals), and welcomes passengers by name. It also took me for a short ride on the Las Vegas Strip.
Mercedes goes all in with in-car natural-language control
Infotainment systems are a mixed bag. There are very few truly good ones, but even if an automaker can pull off a solid interface, it's mired by latency thanks to a slow processor. Typically these in-car systems usually aren't up to par with the offerings from Apple and Google. Mercedes is trying to change that with a new UX that's quick, voice controlled and may keep you from defaulting to Android Auto or CarPlay when you get in the car.
The Mercedes C63S is a rare mix of style and nerdery
People seem to believe that the ability to drive fast makes them good drivers. Folks who drive below the speed limit are also under the same misconception. The reality is, if you're a good driver, you should be able to handle anything that's thrown at you while still treating your fellow drivers with respect. The Mercedes-Benz AMG C63S sedan is a good car not because it's fast (though it is very fast with a zero-to-60 time of 3.9 seconds) -- it's a good car because it delivers everything you'd expect from a high-tech, luxury sports sedan.
Mercedes' ubiquitous city bus is going electric in 2018
Mercedes-Benz wants an electric version of its long-running city bus to power the emissions-free mass transit future. Over a dozen cities recently pledged to make their bus fleets all-electric by 2030 (among them LA and Seattle). And, if the German auto-maker gets its way, its EV will be the one ferrying people around all hours of the day. Mercedes announced that it plans to start producing the electric "Citaro" by the end of 2018.
Daimler’s electric trucks start making deliveries in Japan and US
Most electric vehicle discussions revolve around passenger cars. Sometimes buses get thrown into the mix. We're laser-focused on how people will get from point A to point B and sometimes forget that our streets are also teeming with delivery trucks and vans. Daimler hasn't forgotten and neither has its light-truck brand Fuso.
Mercedes is building smarter headlights for its cars of the future
In a dark garage at the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, a flat gray S-Class illuminates a white screen at the end of long hall. The headlights blast on and while the light is bright, it's not that impressive. Then Stefan Toepfer, electronic and software developer for exterior lighting taps on his tablet and a series of black moving squares appear within the lit area. It takes a moment before I realize that these dark areas represent cars that in the real world wouldn't get blinded by the Mercedes' high beams. It's a great way to see more at night without endangering other drivers. And it gets better.
Starting in 2020, it’s going to be much easier to buy an EV
For the first time ever, buying an electric or hybrid car from most of the big automakers is a viable option. But these electrified vehicles are still a small part of the entire automotive world. At the Frankfurt auto show in Germany, many car companies either finally pledged or reiterated earlier promises to increase the number of electrified cars to their lineups by 2030.
Mercedes-Benz aims to take hydrogen fuel-cells mainstream
General Motors' confidence in hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) vehicles seems to be sparking something of a renaissance among other automakers. In April, Toyota announced it was testing a HFC semi truck, and now Mercedes has announced a hybrid crossover utility vehicle that combines the pricey alternative-fuel tech with something a little less exotic: a battery-powered electric vehicle. The GLC F-Cell will carry 4.4 kilograms of hydrogen onboard, in addition to its 147 kilowatt lithium-ion battery. The automaker says that the the F-Cell's range can hit 437 kilometers (roughly 271 miles) with a governed top speed of 99 MPH, and that it'll charge in about 1.5 hours.
Mercedes puts Formula One tech in an electric hypercar
More and more supercars from the likes of Ferrari and Porsche are using electric motors to juice their torque. Mercedes-Benz wasn't about to be left out. It's just introduced the 1,000-horsepower AMG Project One ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show. The vehicle was built with the cooperation of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One team.
Mercedes’ Smart Vision EQ is a tiny urban autonomous concept
During a series of song-and-dance numbers, Mercedes-Benz introduced its Smart Vision EQ concept vehicle. The pure electric, completely autonomous car is built for personalization without actual ownership. Based on the Smart Fortwo, the car is the company's vision of mobility and EVs.
A 114-year old Mercedes has more in common with a Tesla than you think
I'm extremely nervous to be behind the wheel of the 1902 model (built in 1903) Mercedes Simplex 40. The controls and open air sitting position remind me more of a John Deere tractor than the cars that currently fill our cities and interstates. After a quick tutorial, I got in, depressed the clutch, reached outside the cab to put the vehicle in first gear and nearly stalled an automobile that was the pinnacle of tech when it was built.
Daimler and Via to launch ride-sharing shuttle service in Europe
Minivans, while not the most exciting form of transportation, could have a role to play in society's shift away from car ownership. Daimler, the company behind Mercedes-Benz, is teaming up with Via to launch a new ride-sharing service across Europe. Like UberPool, it will be an on-demand system that allows passengers to set their own pick-up points and destinations through a smartphone app. Mercedes-Benz will supply the minivans, while Via — which already runs a similar service in New York City, Chicago and Washington DC — manages the software. It's basically a bus service, but with dynamic routes and no predetermined stops.
Germany will implement ethical guidelines for self-driving tech
Germany is working on implementing a handful of new rules for autonomous cars that address ethical questions that come with the technology. In June, the ethics commission of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure -- made up of 14 scientists and legal experts -- released a report with guidelines it believed self-driving vehicles should be designed to follow. This week, the ministry said it would implement and enforce those guidelines.
Mercedes uses art deco inspiration for electric car concept
Luxury vehicles from the 1930s were nearly aircraft carrier-long. It was the art deco era dominated by seemingly never ending clean lines. So it's no surprise that the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is over six meters long (about 20 feet) and has a single line that runs the length of the vehicle. Hell, the back the car is inspired by yachts and called a "boat tail." In other words, it's going impossible to find parking for it.
Daimler is investing $735 million in China's EV infrastructure
German car manufacturer Daimler has announced a partnership with China's BAIC Motor Corporation, pledging to provide $735 million investment into electric vehicle infrastructure in the region. Daimler (the company behind brands like Mercedes-Benz) has revealed a large chunk of that hefty sum will be spent on building a new Chinese battery factory under the joint venture Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd.
Waze arrives on Android Auto after a year-long wait
Rocking Android Auto and wondering why Google still hasn't added its Waze traffic-and-maps app to the platform yet? Well, we don't have an explanation, but we do have news that after Google talked about it at last year's I/O developer conference, the integration has finally happened, albeit in limited fashion. And so long as you aren't driving an Audi or Mercedes Benz with Android Auto (Google says they aren't compatible yet), if you signed up for the beta back in April, you can start testing. As Android Police notes, your phone running the standalone Android Auto app won't be able to take advantage of this -- it's only for compatible stereo head units.
Mercedes-Benz is building cars that know the road better than you do
As we approach a blind corner on a twisty mountain road above Sunnyvale, there's a moment when I'm sitting in the passenger seat of a pre-production Mercedes-Benz S-Class and I'm not sure that the updated Intelligent Drive will really slow the car down in time for what's up ahead. It does and continues to do so for every corner it encounters. It's an impressive step in the automaker's march toward an autonomous vehicle.
Germany legalizes self-driving car tests
German automakers won't have to bring their experimental autonomous cars to California for testing anymore. The country has just approved a law allowing companies to test their self-driving cars on its roads, so long as they follow a set of conditions. Perhaps the most important requirement is that drivers must be sitting behind the wheel all the time. They can take their eyes off the road to, say, use their phone and browse the internet, but they need to be able to take over if the vehicle's AI needs them to.
Car2Go adds luxury Mercedes models to its carsharing lineup
If you live in a big city, you've likely seen Car2Go's white and blue two-seater Smart cars zipping about. Unlike other car sharing services, you can rent one of the company's vehicles, take it for a spin, and then simply park it anywhere in its service area when you're done. While it's certainly convenient, it's not very useful if you need to haul around friends or a trunk full of shopping bags. That's changing today, as the company just announced that it's bringing full-sized Mercedes CLA sedans and GLA crossovers to seven cities.
