2009 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Roadster

If you were asked what kind of vehicles we would be driving in the future, we all seem to have the same ideas, not so with Daimlers trainees. They were asked to design a vehicle for the future, and the result is this Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Concept Roadster.

In a hitherto unique Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Roadster 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-Benz F-Cell Roadster Concept. 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 Gnther Fleig. "I am delighted to see how much initiative and creativity the young people have put into this project."

Tradition meets the future

The Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Roadster Concept 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-Benz 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.

The Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Roadster Concept 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-Benz F-Cell Roadster reaches a top speed of 25 km/h and has an operating range of up to 350 km.