Mercedes-Benz Bionic | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz |
Production | Concept car (2005) |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 1.9-liter four-cylinder direct-injection turbodiesel. 138 hp (103 kW) |
Transmission | Autotronic CVT transmission |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 101 in (2,565 mm) |
Length | 167 in (4,242 mm) |
Width | 71.5 in (1,816 mm) |
Height | 62.8 in (1,595 mm) |
Curb weight | 2,425 lb (1,100 kg) |
The Mercedes-Benz Bionic is a concept car created by DaimlerChrysler AG under the Mercedes Group. It was first introduced in 2005 at the DaimlerChrysler Innovation Symposium in Washington, D. C. The Bionic is modeled after a type of fish, the yellow boxfish, Ostracion cubicus, [1] and also has 80% lower nitrogen oxide emissions with its selective catalytic reduction technology.
The Bionic is powered by a 103 kW direct-injection diesel engine with an average fuel economy of 54.7 MPG (US) (~4.3 L/100 km). [2] This engine also outputs around 140 hp (104 kW) and a little over 221 ft⋅lbf (300 N⋅m) of torque at around 1,600 rpm. The Bionic can go from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in about eight seconds and has a top speed of a little over 190 km/h (118 mph).
The exterior design was modeled after the yellow boxfish ( Ostracion cubicus ), a marine fish that lives in coral reefs. Mercedes-Benz decided to model the Bionic after this fish due to the supposed low coefficient of drag of its body shape [3] and the rigidity of its exoskeleton; this influenced the car's unusual looks. It was believed that the shape of the boxfish would improve aerodynamics and stability. [4] However, in 2015, a paper in Journal of the Royal Society Interface claimed that "The drag-reduction performance of the two boxfish species studied was relatively low compared with more generalized body shapes of fish". [5] [6] Other parts of the design include the fact that the rear wheels are partially fitted with plastic and that it's considered as a lightweight vehicle. Mercedes-Benz reported a drag coefficient of 0.19; [7] for comparison, the production vehicle with the lowest ever Cd value was the GM EV1, at 0.195. While the Bionic had a much larger internal volume than the EV1, the Bionic's larger frontal area made the EV1 more aerodynamic overall, as drag is a product of the area and the drag coefficient.
The vehicle was capable of seating four people. [2]
The Mercedes-Benz Group AG is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-Benz was formed with the merger of Benz & Cie., the world's oldest car company, and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft in 1926. The company was renamed DaimlerChrysler upon the acquisition of American automobile manufacturer Chrysler Corporation in 1998, and was again renamed Daimler AG upon divestment of Chrysler in 2007. In 2021, Daimler AG was the second-largest German automaker and the sixth-largest worldwide by production. In February 2022, Daimler was renamed Mercedes-Benz Group as part of a transaction that spun-off its commercial vehicle segment as an independent company, Daimler Truck.
Automotive aerodynamics is the study of the aerodynamics of road vehicles. Its main goals are reducing drag and wind noise, minimizing noise emission, and preventing undesired lift forces and other causes of aerodynamic instability at high speeds. Air is also considered a fluid in this case. For some classes of racing vehicles, it may also be important to produce downforce to improve traction and thus cornering abilities.
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The yellow boxfish is a species of boxfish found in reefs throughout the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean as well as the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. Recorded occasionally since 2011 in the Levantine waters of the Mediterranean Sea which it likely entered via the Suez Canal, it is a species appreciated in the aquarium trade.
The drag coefficient is a common measure in automotive design as it pertains to aerodynamics. Drag is a force that acts parallel to and in the same direction as the airflow. The drag coefficient of an automobile measures the way the automobile passes through the surrounding air. When automobile companies design a new vehicle they take into consideration the automobile drag coefficient in addition to the other performance characteristics. Aerodynamic drag increases with the square of speed; therefore it becomes critically important at higher speeds. Reducing the drag coefficient in an automobile improves the performance of the vehicle as it pertains to speed and fuel efficiency. There are many different ways to reduce the drag of a vehicle. A common way to measure the drag of the vehicle is through the drag area.
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Engineers believe that the boxfish provides the secret to producing a safer, more fuel-efficient, yet lightweight, vehicle. "Quite frankly," says research and development chief Dr. Thomas Weber, "we were surprised when this clumsy-looking fish, of all things, became our model for designing an aerodynamic and fuel-efficient car."
The boxfish does not lament the absence of a course correction mechanism, as its instability is one of its greatest assets on the reef, permitting it to swiftly whirl wherever it pleases, which, much to my aggravation, always seems to be as far away from me as possible. The boxfish carapace may still find utility in bionics, but based on what we now know about its instability, perhaps a better place to start would be with spinning, vomit-soaked amusement park rides.
Firstly, despite serving as a model system in aerodynamic design, drag-reduction performance was relatively low compared with more generalized fish morphologies. Secondly, the current theory of course stabilization owing to flow over the boxfish carapace was rejected, as destabilizing moments were found consistently. This solves the boxfish swimming paradox: destabilizing moments enhance manoeuvrability, which is in accordance with the ecological demands for efficient turning and tilting.
Unique research project by biologists and engineers. Vehicle study with the streamlined contours of the boxfish. Outstanding aerodynamics with a Cd value of 0.19.