Bionic Benz

Crafting the future of motoring with groundbreaking technology, the Future Technologies Lab at Mercedes HQ seamlessly merges luxury, sustainability and innovation. Stuff (India) sneaks a peek.

- Nishant Padhiar

It may have the most hallowed history in the arc of automotive evolution, but when the world's oldest car maker invites you to a never-before-been-accessed secret lair to take a sneak peek into their future, it's the stuff of dreams. Pun intended. Dubbed "Future Experiences", I took the red eye to Stuttgart, the home of Mercedes-Benz AG and was soon ushered to their Sindelfingen plant site.

Birthplace of many a Merc, including the mighty Maybach, there are areas of this facility that even employees have never set foot in. Not because they won't, but because they can't. Camo cars gingerly driven under the radar and existing models equipped with roof-mounted LiDAR/ Radar units are a common sight in this part of the Mercedes universe. Guess I must be here.

In the very beginning, there was...

Admittedly, the progenitor of all future Mercedes EV projects has been the Vision EQXX. Already a legend in engineering circles, this concept EV managed to eke out a 1000mile range on a single charge! Its 100kWh battery is 50% smaller and 30% lighter than the one currently used in the flagship EQS production-spec car, thanks to innovative chemistry and cell design. Of course, it's apparent that the aerodynamics of the Vision EQXX played a huge role in its heroic achievement, but the electric drivetrain and software that formed the basis of its ECU cannot be discounted. Perhaps the most important metric from the Vision EQXX project was its unbelievable efficiency at just 8.3kWh per 100 kilometers, and in fact, that's what earned it a place in the record books too! The next-gen CLA Concept, showcased first in 2023 has had a growth spurt and is shaping up to be the next big thing for the German giant. While it will be a sedan, two SUVs and shooting brake body style in the EU, India may have to concede with just the sedan and SUV.