Mercedes Vision Urbanetic Autonomous Electric Van Concept — Shape-Shifting Monster, Literally

Yes, the Mercedes Vision Urbanetic employs a self-driving electrically-powered chassis which can take up different formats (much like a modular platform). As of now, it can shift itself from a ride-sharing vehicle to a goods carrier. Mercedes has shared that it will be capable of attaining more shapes in the future.

As a people-mover, the Vision Urbanetic can take 12 passengers in comfort. In the cargo carrier format, the autonomous concept is capable of loading 10 conventional EPAL* boxes in a loading area of almost 10 cubic metres.

*EPAL or Euro pallet is an industry-standard pallet measuring 800 x 1200 x 144 mm.

In all honesty, the Mercedes Vision Urbanetic looks weird and feels like it has come from outside the planet. The internet has already started wildly commenting on its aesthetics. Some of the many titles which the looks of the Urbanetic have gained are: "Elongated bicycle helmet", "Mutated skull of Alien" (as in the movie, Alien), "Boiled extra-terrestrial egg"; plus a lot of others.

For the same reason, the Mercedes Vision Urbanetic has been given an unofficial tag — "The Shape-Shifting Monster". However, the real shape-shifting monster is a car from Nissan which you would've heard about (a lot). Read more about it — here!

The body types can be changed automatically or manually through an automated process which would take only a few minutes. With progress in development, this time span can be further reduced.

Being in the concept format, nothing much is known about the powertrain or the performance figures; if at all it ever makes it into production. However, the numbers should be decent enough to rival the likes of the Tesla Semi truck, due for launch soon.

Thoughts On The New Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic Concept

The automotive industry has been witnessing a rapid progress in technology and innovation in the past few months. Electric vehicles and cars which can drive on their own are becoming more common these days but the Vision Urbanetic Concept is something different. Though it looks really odd, the concept hintsat the flexibility and adaptability of automobiles in the future — the ability to just change the vehicle body depending on the purpose.