Mercedes F600 Hygenius Officially Announced

Welcome, welcome, welcome ladies and gentleman.  How's everyone doing  
today?  I have to warn everyone, I'm in an exceptionally good mood  
today, so I may banter on a little more than usual.

As we reported earlier, Mercedes is set to debut their latest F-Model  
Concept car, the F600 Hygenius, at the Tokyo Motor Show later this  
month.  Today, only two days after we broke the story, Mercedes has  
officially announced details of their latest forray into the world of  
fuel cells.  Powered by a zero-emission fuel cell drive that produces  
a total of 115 horsepower, the Hygenius has a range in excess of 250  
miles, and consumes the equivalent of 2.9 liters of fuel per 100  
kilometers (or .76 gallons per 62 miles for our American readers).

I know what you're thinking - that's great, but Mercedes already  
makes a fuel cell vehicle.  You are correct, but what separates the  
F600 from its fuel cell brethren are the hybrid properties it  
contains.  You see, as the Hygenius' fuel cell generates power, it  
stores any surplus energy in a lithium-ion battery; then, when  
operating, the F600 selects the best power source based on driving  
conditions, much like a standard hybrid.  So let's say for example  
that you're in an energy intensive situation, such as accelerating -  
the F600 then draws energy from both the fuel cells and the battery.   
But, on the other hand, let's say you're driving in a less energy- 
intensive situation, such as parking - the F600 then draws its power  
only from the vehicle's lithium battery.  If that's not enough for  
you, the F600 also doubles as a generator, producing an output of  
66kW of electrical power. In other words, if you get lazy and forget  
to pay your electric bill, just hook your house up to your car and  
you're all set.

If you're still not impressed, Mercedes latest concept features a  
host of technological advancements we can probably look forward to  
seeing in future Mercedes models as well.  A few highlights include  
new seats that allow the backrest to be used either forwards or  
backwards (perfect for parents with small children and car seats),  
video cameras in the sides and rear of the vehicle to warn drivers of  
impending danger, and an improved PRE-SAFE system that features  
active knee protection and improved head restraints, to help keep you  
and your head stationary in the event of an accident.

Ok, enough of my babble. You can check out photos of the F600  
directly below.  As always, click any photo to enlarge, and press  
back to return to the previous page.  If you'd like to learn more  
about the F600 Hygenius, you can check out the full press release  
immediately following the photos.  Enjoy.



To view the full press release with several photos, click the link  
below:

http://www.emercedesbenz.com