As its upcoming fuel cell vehicle's zero carbon footprint,
Mercedes-Benz decided to cloak an F-Cell to
make it seem invisible. This cloaking technology isn't a new feature on the
next generation of Mercedes vehicles, even the futuristic hydrogen-powered
ones. Engineers pulled off this publicity stunt by covering the F-Cell with
LED-embedded mats on one side and outfitting it with cameras on the other.
Video captured by the cameras was displayed on the LED mats on the opposite
side of the vehicle, which made the car appear invisible to the pedestrians watching
from the sidelines.
Based on the B-Cell, the F-Cell has an estimated driving range of
190 miles. The cloaked hydrogen powered car toured Germany for a week to seed
the idea that the fuel cell vehicle's zero tailpipe emissions means it has no
impact on the environment, and is there for "invisible to the
environment." A fuel cell vehicle emits only water vapor as a byproduct of
burning hydrogen fuel. However, how little of a carbon footprint it really has
depends on where the hydrogen is sourced. Several manufacturers, public, and
private organizations are working on ways to produce hydrogen using renewable
energy, such as solar
power, wind
power, or methane
gas powered
hydrogen fueling stations. But the most common way to manufacture hydrogen to
date through energy-intensive electrolysis, which makes hydrogen vehicles no
cleaner than electric cars on the market. Fuel cells are expected to enter mass
production in 2015, and to get them ready for the U.S. market, Mercedes-Benz
and several other manufacturers, including General Motors, Honda, and Toyota,
are conducting field trials of fuel cell vehicles in the U.S. In fact, the
German car maker is still accepting applications to lease an F-Cell.
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