Benz Vision One-Eleven honours past, teases future tech

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Do you, like us, have a love-hate relationship with concept sports cars? We love them because they are so damn sexy, but hate them because they never reach production looking that way—if they ever reach production at all.

At Mercedes-Benz’s Design No. 5 event at its Carlsbad, California design centre, the automaker pulled the covers off its Vision One-Eleven electric vehicle, a concept sports car study that “progressively reinterprets” the C 111 research vehicles of the late 1960s and early 1970s, a series of gull-wing cars that tested a variety of powertrains, including Wankels, turbodiesels, and gas V8s, setting numerous speed records in the process.

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Much like its history-making predecessor, the Vision One-Eleven is visually stunning while showcasing innovative drive technology, namely the use of powerful and highly efficient axial-flux motors from British electric-motor specialist YASA — now a Mercedes subsidiary — which the company says have an unmatched power density far beyond comparable radial motors, while being extremely lightweight.

Axial-flux motors versus radial-flux motors

“Axial-flux motors are significantly lighter and more compact, yet more powerful than comparable radial-flux motors currently used in 99 per cent of all electric cars,” says Tim Woolmer, founder and chief technology officer of YASA. “In an axial-flux motor, the electromagnetic flow runs parallel to the motor’s rotational axis, which is highly efficient. In a radial-flux motor, the flow runs perpendicular to the rotational axis. Compared to radial-flux motors, they have considerably higher and more enduring power reserves, which delivers a whole new level of performance.”

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Alongside its power and torque density, another major benefit is the narrow packaging, which reduces both its weight and dimensions. The weight of an axial-flux motor is just one-third that of current electric motors with the same power output, says Woolmer. At the same time, it requires just one-third of the space occupied by a radial-flux motor. Not only does this open up completely new options for engineers, it allows designers greater freedom in electric-vehicle design, the Vision One-Eleven being proof of concept.

The YASA axial-flux motor “is ideal for electric high-performance vehicles,” says Markus Schäfer, chief technology officer at Mercedes-Benz Group. “Combined with the liquid-cooled cylindrical-cell battery with Formula One-inspired cell chemistry, the Vision One-Eleven is yet another proof-point for the broad performance spectrum encompassed by our … development strategy for electric drive.”

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As racy as the Vision One-Eleven is on the outside, its cabin, wrapped in funky ’70s-glam colours, showcases what Mercedes says is the first sports-car interior with a lounge concept, signifying a shift from “self-driven sports car to autonomous electric vehicle within the super sports car segment.” In “race” mode with the backrest upright and the compact driver-oriented touchscreen, the interior becomes that of a minimalist sports car.

Conversely, in lounge mode, the seats are fully integrated into the interior, which merges sills, centre tunnel, and luggage compartment into a single unit. In contrast to other mid-engine sports cars, says Mercedes, it takes advantage of the compact proportions of electric motors to extend the interior rearwards. “Consequently, the lounge-like interior invites occupants to take their time and relax — a completely new approach for the sports car of the future.”