A few weeks ago a non-flying UFO-shaped vehicle fully concealed in disguise wrap was spotted out int he wild, apparently testing. The only known fact about that vehicle then was that it was a Mercedes-Benz. Turns out the vehicle was a new compact crossover Mercedes has been working on.
And here it is in all its official glory, the Mercedes G-Code Concept. Pitched as a small and practical urban crossover, and designed in part by the company’s Chinese branch, the G-Code is slightly longer than 4 meters and boasts a curvy roof, four doors, and 21-inch wheels. The face is distinctly Mercedes-Benz, although one would struggle to tell if it’s a hatchback, a wagon, or a crossover from the pictures.
Being a concept Benz, Mercedes G-Code boasts advanced technologies never seen before in this class of cars. It has, for instance, “multi-voltaic” paint which turns the sunlight into electricity. But that is not the only source of electric power in this car. The suspension too features a system that convert the kinetic energy of the dampers into electricity!
With all that electric generating devices you would expect the Mercedes G-Code Concept to be a hybrid, and indeed it is. The front wheels are driven by a small turbocharged engine and the rear ones by an electric motor. The car is also very lightweight, thanks to compact size and a minimalistic interior with carbon seats and a super clever A/C.
The Mercedes G-Code Concept will be formally introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but as for production, nothing is known for sure yet.