Mercedes-Benz attracted a great deal of attention with the presentation of its EQS vehicle. It is the company's first saloon that isn’t based on a combustion vehicle. Instead, the electric counterpart to the S-Class is based on its own EVA2 (Electrical Vehicle Architecture) platform, also known as MEA (Modular Electric Architecture). The two-generator version gives the vehicle its supremely sporty acceleration and provides a range of up to 770 kilometres together with its streamlined bodywork.
The new Mercedes EQS not only features impressive technical details, it also has an innovative interior design. The premium equipment includes a 1.41-metre Hyperscreen that sweeps across the cockpit with curved lines. Two air vents emerge to the left and right-hand side of the display as a contrast to the smooth and seamless display surface and to “connect the digital and physical world”, in the words of Mercedes-Benz. The vents were developed and manufactured in Horb by fischer Automotive, a division of the fischer Group of Companies. The futuristic design featuring a turbine look is the hallmark of the vents, which stand out significantly from the puristic Hyperscreen, making them a focal point.
The upper edge of the Hyperscreen features additional air vents. Unlike the side vents, these cross-dashboard air vents are subtly integrated into the overall design. Stand-out features include the floating, ‘Silver Shadow’-coloured handles (operating elements) as well as the rose gold three-component trim strip. As an added highlight, the vents can be illuminated in various colours. The air vents add to and reinforce the effect of the MBUX Hyperscreen in the spirit of Mercedes Chief Design Officer Gordon Wagener, according to whom design is associated with the desire for two things: “Beauty and the extraordinary”. This “x-factor”, according to Wagener, has to be “surprising and enchanting”.
In addition to the above-mentioned elements, fischer Automotive also supplied air vents for the rear seat and B-pillar area, as well as ventilation channels and cupholders. The assembly assistant was used for the lateral and central air vent assembly lines with their highly complex kinematics and illumination. Until now, the high-quality components were manufactured at the main fischer Automotive factory in Horb, while series production will take place at fischer Serbia, which will deliver the parts to the Mercedes plant in Sindelfingen, where the EQS is being manufactured.
With its interior components, the fischer Group of Companies is part of a product that also boasts sustainability, as the production of both the vehicle and the battery is carbon neutral. The steel of the bodywork consists of 80 per cent recycled scrap, while resource-saving materials such as carpets made from recycled yarn were also used. According to Mercedes, the EQS is “the world's most aerodynamic production car”, which is reflected by the vehicle’s high range.
