Concept Car : Mercedes F-CELL Roadster

Mercedes F-CELL Roadster is a fuel-cell-drive concept built by a team of 150 trainees of Daimler AG at the Sindelfingen Mercedes-Benz plant which took a year to be completed. Powered by a 1.2 kW fuel cell system located at the rear, Mercedes F-CELL Roadster will reach its top speed at 25 km/h and has a range of 350 km.

Mercedes F-CELL Roadster design is inspired by the Benz Patent Motor Car from 1886, which features a unique fiberglass front section, large spoked wheels, and also carbon-fiber bucket seats with hand-stitched leather covers. While on the front section, the design is inspired by the F1 race cars.

Mercedes F-CELL Roadster is equipped with a drive-by-wire joystick instead of a steering wheel.

In a hitherto unique project bridging various fields of profession, the trainees of Daimler AG at the Sindelfingen Mercedes-Benz plant have built a Roadster with fuel cell drive. For about a year, more than 150 trainees and dual education system students worked on the overall concept, development, assembly, and completion of the Mercedes F-CELL Roadster. This project involved junior employees from the fields of automotive mechatronics, model-building, electronics, coating technology, manufacturing mechanics, product design, and interior appointments. The prime objective of the project was to integrate the topic of alternative drive systems into training with hands-on experience.

“This project impressively demonstrates that the topic of sustainable mobility has become an integral part of our vocational training,” said Human Resources Board member and Labor Relations Manager Günther Fleig. “I am delighted to see how much initiative and creativity the young people have put into this project.”

Mercedes F-CELL Roadster uniquely combines state-of-the-art technologies with the history of vehicle construction. As an allusion to the Benz Patent Motor Car from 1886, the vehicle is fitted with large spoked wheels. Moreover, the Mercedes F-CELL Roadster incorporates stylistic elements from diverse eras of automotive history, such as the carbon-fiber bucket seats with hand-stitched leather covers and the distinctively styled fiberglass front section, based on the component from the Formula One racing bolides.

Mercedes F-CELL Roadster is controlled with drive-by-wire technology, and a joystick takes the place of a conventional steering wheel. The vehicle is powered by the emission-free fuel cell system located at the rear. With a power rating of 1.2 kW the Mercedes F-CELL Roadster reaches a top speed of 25 km/h and has an operating range of up to 350 km.