After Mercedes released it’s E Class sedan with an industry leading drag coefficient of .24 (above) it was no big secret that the luxury car maker was going to push the envelope of aerodynamic efficiency. Despite the association between the word “aerodynamic” and the mental image of a bug-mobile, Mercedes has proven that they can do efficiency in a classy, almost invisible way.
Now the company is saying that they want cars with drag coefficients of 0.20 and less within 5 years. This would put Mercedes in the company of vehicles like the GM EV1 (0.19 coefficient of drag) and any number of concept cars that have never made it to production.
Coefficient of drag might not have the shock value of gas mileage figures, but consider this: 50 mpg may sound good but it only goes as far as fossil fuels. A vehicle with a low coefficient of drag will be efficient no matter what is powering it. These slippery Mercedes will get better gas mileage now and better electric range in the future.
And they still look pretty freaking sweet.