Mercedes’ answer to the Audi E-tron and BMW i is the new E Superlight, a revolutionary carbonfibre saloon depicted here in CAR’s artist’s impression. Mercedes is known to be planning a lightweight version of the E-Class and now we have new details on this project, with the production model set to arrive in 2015. According to Car Magazine, the vehicle’s carbon fiber structure will offer designer more room to play, which means that we will receive a structure with no B pillars and suicide doors.
As for the styling cues, these will be inspired from those of the F800 and F125 concepts. The vehicle is expected to be 350 kg (772 lbs) lighter than a standard E-Class. The vehicle’s powertrain should be comprised of a hydrogen fuel cell with 152 hp and a 51 hp electric motor. However, Mercedes will subsequently release conventional and plug-in hybrid powerplants.
Although the timing is still provisional, low-volume production is expected to commence in late 2015. By then, Mercedes will have gained plenty of carbonfibre experience by manufacturing body panels, suspension elements and structural parts from the new material.
By 2017, insiders expect an annual output of close to 20,000 E Superlight units, which is remarkably similar in volume to what the friends from Munich have in mind. The biggest quesion mark seems to concern the feasibility of the fuel cell for which the optimistic product planners have set a best-case scenario of 100,000 MB passenger cars and vans for the same timeframe.
But apart from some unresolved engineeering issues (membrane, valves, connectors), the main markets have also still to establish a hydrogen infrastructure, and so far neither the politicians nor the manufacturers seem to be able to agree on maximum on-board tank pressures and on filling procedure norms.
Having said that, E Superlight can of course also fly without a fuel cell. After all, its main asset is the lightweight structure which is tipped to undercut the current steel-bodied E-class by over 350 kilos. Once the E Superlight has taken off, the carbonfibre technology will also be applied to the SLS replacement, sources say.
