Mercedes benz Concept Truck 2045

[jono rocky]

G'day. Today after a couple of hard lego nights Ive entered a competition on ReBrick for a design on a Mercedes truck in the year 2045. As to the comp rules I am allowed to display it after I have submitted it in the comp which I have done.

Mercedes Hybrid 850. Using two fuel types to ensure day and night running. Water for Hydrogen gas to an inline turbo 6. Electric motor for main source of power for zero emissions.

The truck will still be able to go off road on dirt (here in Australia) or ice but have a heavier payload and pulling more trailers.

Extended cab with a flat floor for sleeping area/office where the steering wheel folds up and seats turn around for when in driver less driving mode.

Using mag-lev tech from trains incorporated to freeways the truck becomes self propelled and lighter (switch on top of cab to turn on lights).Hud display only for a cleaner cab interior.

When coupled to a trailer extra solar power is accessed by the solar panel on its roof. Extra charge is created by air driven ducted turbines under each side of the cab.

A drone can be deployed for a birds eye view and assist remote driving. Mirrors replaced by cameras and an active large front grill that can shut off air flow when not needed.

Double wishbone front suspension and disk brakes all round and gull wing doors.

Battery on one side and the water tank on the other and rolling on anti puncture tires.

Playable features-

*Hog steering.

*Push button gull wing doors.

*Full suspension.

*On off driving lights.

*On off Mag-lev lights.

*Detacheble trailer.

Here is a couple of pics

Mercedes 2045 Truck by Jono Mckinlay, on Flickr

Mercedes 2045 Truck by Jono Mckinlay, on Flickr

Mercedes 2045 Truck by Jono Mckinlay, on Flickr

[Chade]

Mate, that is an absolute stunning truck! That front end... beautiful. I've never seen thin beams used like that. Good luck in the competition!

[9 fingers]

Great model. I realy like it.

[nerdsforprez]

I love how people wax near-poetic when they describe their entries for this competition. The amount of theory and abstract reasoning is just wonderful.

I don't comment much on others builds (need to do it more often), but could not help myself on this one. I agree with @Chade. This truck is really easy on the eyes. Seriously, the whole package. If I could offer one bit of constructive criticism (which truly hard to do on such a great build) I wonder if it is futuristic-looking enough. 2045 is a long way away, and critics might think this is a great truck for like 2030 or something, but not 2045. But that is just one small observation. To be honest, I think it is great and my favorite submission so far for this competition......

[Kristof]

Very nice! With deadline comming, this comp is getting it's best submitions :D I absolutely love the front of your truck. That curved grill is ingeniously executed. Also most of the play features are great - I especially like cabin light, maglev lights and that cute little drone, which is actually quite cool idea for a real application. There is one thing on the design which I think is not quite right - the height of the trailer - shouldn't it b leveled with the cabin not to restrict the airflow?

Regarding your fictional functions, the hydrogen powered engine doesn't really match those big exhausts behind the cab :) Also the use of wind tourbines is rathe nonsense - the power you gain from them is always less (or ideally equal) to the aerodynamic looses. Not to mention that you'd need these to be quite huge in order to get some considerable energy from them.

Otherwise it's simply great model, perhaps my favorite in the competition so far! I'm sure that if not winner, this will be at least amoght the runner ups. Good luck!

[nerdsforprez]

Not to mention that you'd need these to be quite huge in order to get some considerable energy from them.

Good point..... but although true here in 2015 perhaps not so true in 2045 (but again, who knows?). I think one of the great things about this contest is that our current thinking about things doesn't really apply to 2045. As others have pointed out, we may not be driving flying (?? that sounds wrong) vehicles in 2045; the greatest gains in automotive technology are likely to come in the size of things, how they are powered, emissions and efficiency, etc.... these types of things.

[Kristof]

I wonder if it is futuristic-looking enough. 2045 is a long way away, and critics might think this is a great truck for like 2030 or something, but not 2045.

I know it's not direct argument (inventions are faster nowdays etc etc...) but look on ~1985 trucks. Many differences but in general the concept is quite the same - cabin on top of wheels, trailer at the back. Of course that you can unleash your imagination and bring up some really futuristic concept but the question is what is more likely to be truth :)

The limiting factor for some super inventive ideas are the roads - as long as we have roads like today (which are also very similar to 1985 ones), cou can't change the concept of chasis rolling on wheels with tires (or can you?) unless you make your truck levitate. Speaking of which, I really like this idea of 'auxilary' MAGLEV function, which would presuambly only work on hi-tech roads that are equipped with magnetic rails. Still you need the truck to be versatile and to get in the locations without sucg feature rodas.

Regarding this competition, I doubt that my approach is the key to astound the judges - they probably will look for more future-like concepts. But if I were among the panel, I'd vote for designs that are most likely to become reality, which this one in my oppinion really is.

EDIT: Some basic laws of machine efficiency won't be changed. The contradiction of what I said would be Perpetual Motion machine. (Just imagine that - you place a tourbine on small cart, push the cart and the tourbine produces enough energy to keep it moving or even accelerating :) ) Of course that it's not what jono.rocky wanted to achieve in this case but it proves that those tourbines can't be efficient, no matter what)

Edited October 4, 2015 by krisandkris12

[nerdsforprez]

I know it's not direct argument (inventions are faster nowdays etc etc...) but look on ~1985 trucks. Many differences but in general the concept is quite the same - cabin on top of wheels, trailer at the back. Of course that you can unleash your imagination and bring up some really futuristic concept but the question is what is more likely to be truth :)

The limiting factor for some super inventive ideas are the roads - as long as we have roads like today (which are also very similar to 1985 ones), cou can't change the concept of chasis rolling on wheels with tires (or can you?) unless you make your truck levitate. Speaking of which, I really like this idea of 'auxilary' MAGLEV function, which would presuambly only work on hi-tech roads that are equipped with magnetic rails. Still you need the truck to be versatile and to get in the locations without sucg feature rodas.

Regarding this competition, I doubt that my approach is the key to astound the judges - they probably will look for more future-like concepts. But if I were among the panel, I'd vote for designs that are most likely to become reality, which this one in my oppinion really is.

EDIT: Some basic laws of machine efficiency won't be changed. The contradiction of what I said would be Perpetual Motion machine. (Just imagine that - you place a tourbine on small cart, push the cart and the tourbine produces enough energy to keep it moving or even accelerating :) ) Of course that it's not what jono.rocky wanted to achieve in this case but it proves that those tourbines can't be efficient, no matter what)

Sure, I get it.... and great observations. I will just real quick (love that we can discuss all this stuff), I think you said it best when you began by stating "I know its not a direct argument" - Giving an example from 1985 until now is not the same as comparing now to 2045. Although the interval is the same if by stating "I know its not a direct argument" you are alluding to the exponential growth of technology then the thirty year time interval is nothing like the 30 year interval between '85 and now.

Lastly, I think that it is important to at least consider "phase transitions" in the next thirty years. Those in the field, much smarter than myself, explain these phenomenon much like what the internet has done for modern technology. The idea is one piece of technology or advance, whether it be in physics, comp. science, metallurgy, whatever, thus affects everything else, and we enter into a new phase, and from then on see a whole new type of exponential growth pattern. It does not even have to be in science per se. Consider a political change that allowed an increase of standard of living (by that i mean more available resources and opportunity for research and design) for everyone. Increases in diversity and shear number of people engaging in such activities would increase the chances of HUGE things happening. That is what the internet did for human innovation in the last decade or two..... will we see a now type of "phase transition" in the new thirty years? I dunno... but I think it is worth considering. And it may not be with a specific type of technology per se, but rather an advance, or whole new understanding altogether, of physical or naturalistic laws themselves......

[Kristof]

^ You'r right of course :) I hope we both can check in 30 years who's expectations were closer to reality :D

Meanwhile I start to regret not joining that cool contest :D Yet my technic bricks stack is very limited so I probably couldn't even if I wanted. I hope there will be more event's like this one and next time I'll make sure to be prepared.

[JJ2]

Beautiful! I love the front end it is so curvy I also like the underglow affect, soo gangster. The only things I can complain about is the use of dark tan Thechnic 3 axle with stud instead of DBG ones on the front grill, and the trailer is to tall for my taste, but that is just my openion :sweet: . Overall very good job

Edited October 4, 2015 by JJ2

[Lakop]

That front end....Ouch! Well designed. Your flickr gallery gave me a much better view. Good luck with it.

H

[Rishab N]

Great truck. It seems to be a very reasonable design evolution from modern trucks

[jono rocky]

Thanks everyone for your comments, I did drawings of farout concept trucks then really wondered would you take that through the bush on a dirt road so I ended up with this, I wish I had the darker 3 axles for the grill. But there are some truly amazing trucks that were entered.

[MrPaulo23]

Very cool design! If Lego makes this, I'll buy it!

[rm8]

This is Awesome truck with shapes. Especially I love the front lights - I want to use it somewhere at my mocs