Mercedes-Benz C111 reborn as electric supercar
Vision One-Eleven probably won't make production, but you might get to sample its tiny EV motor
It has ticked SUVs, saloons and even vans off its electric to-do list, and now it’s setting its sights on the supercar. This is the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven: a ‘vision’ of what an all-electric two-seat performance car might look like – and the sort of clever tech that goes along with it.
Mercedes isn’t shy of an outlandish design. Just look at the Vision AVTR, a mobility (bleurgh) concept inspired by James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar. However, the One-Eleven concept is more grounded in reality. It takes inspiration from the C111 testbeds of the 1960s and 70s, of which 16 were produced to develop all sorts from polymer bodyshells to Wankel engines. It seems fitting that the company pays homage to its old prototypes with the One-Eleven serving as a rolling laboratory for future powertrains, but it goes deeper than that. The company hails the original C111s as ‘design icons’ with ‘extremely’ aerodynamic forms, which made them the perfect inspiration for a sporty EV. Guess they forgot about the fish-shaped Bionic concept, then.
You don’t need to put them side by side to see the similarities. The Vision One-Eleven adopts the C111’s low nose, bonnet ducts and slim vents ahead of the rear wheels. The black bars containing the light clusters also serve as a nod to the old prototypes, only the One-Eleven employs external displays with ‘a 3D pixelated look’ to mimic the old car’s lights. The display can be used to convey messages to other road users, too. (Perhaps you could tell someone they’re getting a bit too close with a certain digital gesture.) Meanwhile, the black trim around the base of the C111 has been referenced with the concept’s splitter, skirts and diffuser, while the copper-orange alubeam paintwork is ‘considerably more powerful’ than the shade used on the original cars. It looks good, in a sort of Hot Wheels-come-to-life sort of way.
Unlike the C111, the One-Eleven features a far more rounded look to presumably aid aerodynamics. The incredibly low-rake windscreen stretches all the way out front to the mid-point of the front axle, and those blistered wheel arches are needed contain the giant wheels and tyres that are obligatory on concept cars. Mercedes says the rim design is inspired by electric motor windings, referencing the ‘state-of-the-art’ EV powertrain that underpins the concept.
It's not kidding. If you’re curious about what the YASA axial-flux electric motor that underpins the Vision One-Eleven concept, just look at the wheels. The British electric motor firm’s founder, Tim Woolmer, claims that “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. 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.”
There’s no word on how much power the motor can put out - though you’ve got to assume it’ll be considerable if other EVs are anything to go by - nor what effect it’ll have on battery life. However, the axial-flux motor’s small form should have a major impact on weight. Mercedes claims that the YASA’s unit takes up just one third of the space of a traditional radial-flux electric motor, which hopefully solves one of the performance EVs biggest issues – lots of weight, and where to put it.
Smaller motors means more space for the One-Eleven’s barmy interior. Looking as though it’s come straight from the set of a late 1990s music video, the cabin is said to take several cues from the company’s F1 machines. You do have to squint a bit to see it, but the steering wheel is allegedly inspired by the wheels Lewis Hamilton and George Russell use is the now-slightly-less-rubbish W14, while the seats have enough adjustment in them to mimic the driving position of a single-seater. The dash features a gigantic digital panel that stretches the width of the car, while certain features can be accessed using augmented reality. Obviously.
“The Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven combines breathtaking design with groundbreaking powertrain technology. Like its historical namesake, it explores new paths for the future of sporting performance”, said Mercedes board member Markus Schäfer. “[The YASA motor] combined with the liquid-cooled cylindrical-cell battery with Formula-1 inspired cell chemistry, the Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven is yet another proof point for the broad performance spectrum encompassed by our four-pronged development strategy for electric drive.”
Like the C111, it's unlikely the Vision One-Eleven will reach production. And that would be a crying shame, because it looks like a properly appealing take on the electric sports car. Interior aside. But Mercedes is using the concept to show us that it’ll still be producing supercars in the age of EVs and that it’s busy trying to scale YASA’s axial-flux motor for high-volume production. You can, however, grab yourself some limited-edition swag inspired by the One-Eleven. Silver linings, I guess.
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