Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-Benz Group, posed a compelling question at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas: “Where do we take it from here?” His resounding answer came in the form of an unprecedented global partnership between Mercedes-Benz and the creators of the Avatar films. This collaboration signifies a bold step towards carbon-neutral vehicle production and emphasizes the urgent need for a sustainable future. This synergy gave rise to the Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR – “Advanced Vehicle Transformation” – a concept vehicle that is more than just a car; it’s a reimagining of the relationship between humanity, technology, and nature, directly inspired by the world of Avatar.
The VISION AVTR concept echoes the harmonious existence of the Na’vi with their environment, striving for sustainable mobility with zero emissions and a profound reconnection to the natural world. This visionary vehicle operates entirely independently of fossil fuels, thanks to groundbreaking graphene-based organic cell technology, eliminating the need for rare and toxic materials. Despite its eco-conscious design, the VISION AVTR boasts impressive performance, offering a remarkable 435-mile range and utilizing conductive charging technology to achieve a full charge in a mere 15 minutes. Crucially, highlighting the principles of a future circular economy, the components of this organic battery are designed to be fully compostable and recyclable.
Mercedes-Benz designers have breathed life into the machine, forging an intuitive and immersive interaction that blurs the lines between driver and vehicle. The VISION AVTR experience is designed as a symbiosis, seamlessly merging human and machine within a natural context. A curved display module within the vehicle showcases real-time 3D graphics of natural wonders, from China’s Huangshan mountain range to California’s towering Hyperion Tree and Australia’s vibrant Pink Lake Hillier. These visualizations go beyond the visible, illustrating natural forces like bioenergy, magnetic fields, and ultraviolet light, offering a deeper understanding of our planet.
The interior of the Mercedes Avatar VISION AVTR is a testament to progressive luxury, immersing occupants in a revolutionary design language. Dynamic contours and ambient light strips draw inspiration directly from natural forms. Eschewing traditional buttons and switches, vehicle functions are projected onto the driver’s body or hand, creating an intuitive and seamless interface. The center console, a symbolic representation of the Tree of Souls from the Avatar films, extends upwards, forming a transparent roof structure that plays with light, colors, and holographic effects. Further enhancing the interconnectedness with nature, select interior elements are crafted from color-changing fabrics, responding dynamically to the interplay of natural light.
The exterior of the Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR is a striking sculpture, embodying a tangible dialogue between luxury and sustainability. The stretched “One Bow” design creates a fluid loop structure, directly reflecting the Na’vi-inspired aesthetic. Fiber optic elements pulse throughout the vehicle, mimicking neural pathways and visually representing the flow of energy to the wheels. Each wheel is individually driven, enabling a unique crab-like sideways movement with up to 30 degrees of rotation. Perhaps most captivating are the 33 multi-directional moveable surface elements, or “bionic flaps,” that interact in an almost otherworldly manner, facilitating communication between the vehicle, its driver, and the outside world. The Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR concept car, a true embodiment of future mobility and the “mercedes avatar” vision, premiered to global acclaim on January 6, 2020, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
