Mercedes-Benz Partners with Factorial Energy on the Development of Solid State Batteries

Solid-state batteries: Mercedes-Benz teams up with Factorial Energy. Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG; responsible for Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO (l.), Siyu Huang, Co-founder and CEO of Factorial (r.).

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• Mercedes-Benz and U.S.-based solid state battery specialist Factorial Energy (Factorial) 
  are striving for joint development in the field of solid-state technology – from battery cells to vehicle integration.
• Mercedes-Benz is strengthening its cooperation through an equity stake in Factorial.
• The solid-state technology aims to set new standards in the area of energy density, 
  enabling longer vehicle range with shorter charging times.

On its way towards a fully electric future, Mercedes-Benz is joining forces with Factorial to jointly develop next-generation battery technology with the aim of testing prototype cells as early as next year. The goal of the partnership is to start with the cell and extend development to include entire modules and integration into the vehicle battery.

"By accelerating our Mercedes-Benz strategy towards 'Electric Only', we have set the course for a fully electric future. We will also play a leading role in the field of battery technology. With Factorial as our new partner, we are taking research and development in the field of promising solid-state batteries to the next level. To this end, we are investing a high double-digit million dollar amount in Factorial", said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG; responsible for Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO. "With this cooperation, we combine Mercedes-Benz's expertise in battery development and vehicle integration with the comprehensive know-how of our partner Factorial in the field of solid-state batteries. We share the common vision of CO2 neutrality. The continuous development of innovative battery technologies will make electric mobility even more attractive for our customers."

Mercedes-Benz aims to integrate the technology into a limited number of vehicles as part of a small series within the next five years. With its investment, Mercedes-Benz obtains the right to delegate a representative to Factorial’s Board of Directors.

"For Factorial Energy, it is a privilege to collaborate with Mercedes-Benz, which basically invented the automobile," said Siyu Huang, Co-founder and CEO of Factorial. "We look forward to working with them to further innovate the automobile with our clean, efficient and safe solid-state battery technology."

The technology

Solid-state batteries are currently one of the most promising technologies in the field of electric mobility. The decisive difference is the use of an electrolyte made of solid material instead of the commonly used liquid electrolyte. The electrolyte is needed to transport ions back and forth between the electrodes when charging and discharging the battery. Solid electrolytes enable a significantly optimized safety of the battery as well as the use of new types of anodes, such as lithium-metal anodes. These offer an almost doubled energy density compared to today's Li-ion battery cells. As a result, they promise an increase in range while at the same time ensuring short charging times.

About Factorial Energy

Based in Woburn, Massachusetts, Factorial Energy has developed breakthrough solid-state batteries that offer up to 50 percent longer range per charge, increased safety, and cost parity with conventional lithium-ion batteries. The company’s proprietary FEST™ (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) leverages a solid electrolyte material, which enables safe and reliable cell performance with high capacity cathode and anode materials. FEST™ is the first solid-state technology that has been scaled to 40Ah cells and works at room temperature, and can adopt majority of existing cell manufacturing equipment. The company is validating its technology with several auto manufacturers. More information can be found at www.factorialenergy.com

The Mercedes-Benz “Brake Assist System” -- 25 years (1996)

Mercedes-Benz presented the BAS Brake Assist System on 25 November 1996. In emergency situations, it built up full brake pressure as an anticipatory measure. Technical graphic: cross-section of the brake booster with Brake Assist. Motif from the year 1996. (Photo index number in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archives: A96F5879)

Emergency braking can save lives. However, many drivers then step on the brake pedal quickly but not forcefully enough – this is what Mercedes-Benz engineers discovered in the early 1990s during tests in the company’s own driving simulator. Their answer was the brake assistant BAS, also called “Brake Assist System”. The brand presented it on 25 November 1996. BAS was considered one of the key links in the chain of important Mercedes-Benz safety developments.

From December 1996, Brake Assist was standard equipment, initially in the S-Class (model series 140) and SL (R 129). The other model series also gradually received the assistance system. Its mode of operation: the BAS interpreted a certain speed at which the brake pedal is depressed as an emergency situation and built up maximum brake boost within fractions of a second. This significantly shortened the braking distance – at 100 km/h on dry roads, for example, by up to 45 per cent. Mercedes-Benz investigated its effect in the driving simulator: Brake Assist was able to mitigate or even prevent rear-end collisions. And it made an effective contribution to pedestrian protection. In a series of experiments, 55 car drivers drove through a town at 50 km/h when suddenly a child ran onto the carriageway. Only full braking prevented the accident.

Just how far system networking had already progressed at that time was shown by the fact that Brake Assist worked with data from the ABS anti-lock braking system – as did the ASR traction control system, the ASD automatic limited-slip differential, the ESP® Electronic Stability Program, the electronically controlled automatic transmission, the DISTRONIC proximity control system and many more. Depending on the function and task, further sensors and controls were also used. The control electronics of ABS, ESP®, BAS and ASR were combined in one control unit.

Another example of networking: in the premiere year of Brake Assist, other Mercedes-Benz safety developers were already working on the PRE-SAFE preventive occupant protection system® This used the BAS information that an accident situation was imminent as one of several indicators: immediately PRE-SAFE® prepared the interior for a possible collision by, among other things, adjusting the seat backrests for optimum belt effectiveness and closing the sunroof. PRE-SAFE® celebrated its premiere in the 220 model series S-Class in 2002. The integrated system finally put an end to the previously common separate consideration of active and passive safety.

Additional functions for the BAS Brake Assist System

The next BAS feature arrived seven years later: in the 221 model series S-Class unveiled in 2005, Mercedes-Benz expanded Brake Assist into an anticipatory system that supported the driver even more effectively than before in critical situations. Radar technology made this possible: it detected the distance to preceding cars, warned the driver of insufficient distance and calculated the necessary braking assistance in the event of an imminent collision. If traffic came to a standstill and the driver actually had to step on the brake pedal, Brake Assist PLUS built up the brake pressure calculated for the respective situation in a flash. BAS PLUS used two radar systems: a newly developed 24-gigahertz short-range radar detected the surroundings in front of the vehicle with an aperture angle of 80 degrees and a range of 30 metres. In addition, the 77-gigahertz radar of DISTRONIC scanned three lanes of a motorway up to a distance of 150 metres with an aperture angle of nine degrees. And again, the developers tested the system in the driving simulator. The results were impressive: while the accident rate in tests with conventional braking technology was 44 per cent on average, it dropped by three quarters with the help of Brake Assist PLUS.

The development continued apace. In 2006, pioneering technical innovations such as Active Night View Assist and the further developed DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control system as well as the BAS PLUS Brake Assist System were combined to form PRE-SAFE® Brake with autonomous partial braking. Mercedes-Benz also offered similarly networked systems for its commercial vehicles, e.g. Active Brake Assist in the Actros heavy-duty truck. PRE-SAFE® Brake received pedestrian detection in 2013, BAS PLUS also received Cross-Traffic Assist. PRE-SAFE® Brake is now called Active Brake Assist, is standard equipment and reacts to cars, cyclists and pedestrians with autonomous emergency braking if the driver does not intervene.

Berlin as the Site of the Mercedes-Benz Digital Campus

• The "Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus" - competence centre for digitalisation in the global Mercedes-Benz production network - to start operations next year
• The MO360 training and qualification centre establishes innovative new training concepts
• Far-reaching digital retraining programs lay the foundation for the transformation of Berlin and the global production network

Berlin. Mercedes-Benz will build ultra-high-performance axial-flux electric motors at its Berlin site, as the world’s pre-eminent luxury car brand prepares to go all electric by 2030, where market conditions allow. With the transformation of the Berlin site, Mercedes-Benz will reach new digitalisation and electrification milestones on the way towards a sustainable and emissions-free future.

By insourcing further electric drive components, the Berlin plant is charting a new course for its future and expanding its portfolio of products. Mercedes-Benz announced the acquisition of YASA, UK-based manufacturer of ultra-high-performance electric motors in the summer of this year, securing access to unique axial-flux technology, deepening its vertical integration and value creation in development and production. The portfolio of the Berlin plant already includes assembly volumes of electric drive units and the so-called EE Compartment.

In addition, the build-up of the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus - a campus for the development, testing and implementation of pioneering MO360 software applications – has reached an advanced stage. A series of state-of-the-art pilot lines will go into operation next year. Berlin will become the competence centre for digitalisation in the global Mercedes-Benz production network and support the worldwide rollout for new releases and apps in the MO360 ecosystem. At the same time, the campus will become a MO360 training and qualification centre with innovative approaches in the area of digital implementation. Mercedes-Benz is investing a low triple-digit million euros amount in the transformation of its Berlin plant within the next six years.

Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, Production and Supply Chain: "The transformation of the automotive industry is more evident at our Berlin site than at any other Mercedes-Benz plant. The transformation from a production site for purely conventional drive components to a competence centre for digitalisation and production in the field of e-mobility is a significant step for us and our employees. We are offering groundbreaking new opportunities for this traditional location and underlining its role in our global production network - not least as a decisive driver of our digitalisation offensive. With the production of high-performance electric motors, the Berlin plant will become a key pillar of the sustainable Mercedes-Benz electrification strategy."

Sabine Kohleisen, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, responsible for Human Resources and Labour Director: "The transformation towards an electric and digital future is both a great challenge and a great opportunity. We will only master it by working together as a powerful Mercedes-Benz team. The shift to electric mobility will change tasks and employment profiles. Our goal is to shape this change for the employees in a responsible, socially acceptable and future-oriented manner.

Berlin will become the hub for global Mercedes-Benz training and qualification activities. Future training programmes for the entire production network will be developed and implemented in Berlin, using an innovative and flexible digital learning platform. Furthermore the portfolio of qualification activities has been redefined. Going forward the qualifications will include for example IT specialist for digital networking and IT specialist for data and process analysis.

A new qualification programme, designed to give production staff new opportunities, was tailored to create new digital employment profiles for Berlin. As part of a pilot project, production staff are being trained up for new digital jobs, giving them opportunity to play an active part in shaping the transformation. A particularly good example of this, is the new profile of Junior Software Developer for the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus.

„We are overwhelmed by the level of acceptance on the part of employees for the digital transformation of this Mercedes-Benz site Berlin. The huge interest in our digital qualification offerings demonstrates to us that we are on the right path. Employees are ready to take on a new challenge. A big thank you to the staff, and the works council, for embarking on this path with us“, Kohleisen said.

The transformation of the Mercedes-Benz plant will advance through a process of mutual cooperation between employee representation and management. The mutual agreement struck between the works council and management includes both structural and personnel measures. The focus will be on retraining and requalification measures for employees at the site, while at the same time taking advantage of natural staff turnover including retirement and buyouts. The main priority is to implement these structural and personnel measures, which impact employment profiles, in a socially acceptable manner.

Michael Rahmel, Chairman of the Works Council Mercedes-Benz Plant Berlin: "Securing the sustainable future of our Mercedes-Benz site in Berlin has always been at the forefront of our minds. With the transformation of the site into a digital factory campus and competence centre for high-performance electric motors, we have taken a decisive step towards the future for our oldest production site. Together with the site manager, Clemenz Dobrawa, we have opened the door to the future. Thus, a successful transformation can begin with and for the employees."

The company and the works council want to sustainably secure the future of Berlin, the oldest location in the global Mercedes-Benz production network, through a clear focus on digitalisation and electrification. 

MO360 - The digital ecosystem

The digitalisation of production is an important success factor for Mercedes-Benz. The digital MO360 ecosystem (http://mb4.me/UWbRz2GR) was launched last year. Large parts of the modular and expandable system are already in use at around 30 Mercedes-Benz plants worldwide. As a competence centre for digitalisation, the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus will drive the development, testing and validation of future software applications and concepts for MO360 from next year onwards - in a real production environment. The aim is take the new developments tested in Berlin and to roll them out worldwide and to qualify the users in the plants.

The highlights of MO360 include:

• Increase in production efficiency through the use of MO360
• Different tools combined into one tool family with a unified user interface
• Digital Shopfloor Management to help organise production
• Digital Worker Assistance to support assembly activities
• Quality Live is all about product quality
• The MO360 Data Platform provides the fundamental basis for workers to access and analyse all data in their field of responsibility, regardless of their IT skills. The MO360 Data Platform is the "digital twin of production". It makes a decisive contribution to the democratisation of data and, with the help of artificial intelligence and predictive tools, supports the qualification of employees in the context of the transformation.

Cooperation with science and industry 

With its broad spectrum of MO360 software applications, the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus also aims to collaborate with partners from business and science; for example, with universities, research institutions and innovative industrial companies. Mercedes-Benz and Siemens in March announced (http://mb4.me/i310vKzk) that they would be working together on the sustainable digitalisation and automation of the automotive industry with the support of the state of Berlin. As a leading provider in the field of automation, industrial software and intelligent infrastructure, Siemens is contributing its know-how and technologies to the partnership, in order to develop highly flexible, efficient and sustainable automotive production together with Mercedes-Benz.

Cedrik Neike, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO Digital Industries: "We have further expanded our successful cooperation with Mercedes-Benz in Berlin in recent months. Together, we are proving that state-of-the-art technologies can also make existing production facilities fit for the future. We are thus taking a major step towards sustainable and even more competitive automotive production. The future of mobility begins in the production hall. And technology from Siemens enables this transformation towards electromobility. This makes us proud."

Business and politics support transformation in solidarity

The state of Berlin supports the transformation of the Mercedes-Benz site in Berlin as well as the partnerships with Siemens and other companies and institutions that are part of the excellent science and start-up landscape in Berlin.

The Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller said: „For the production an innovation location Berlin the ongoing transformation of Mercedes-Benz in Marienfelde is good news. The development of the Berlin plant into a centre of competence and as a driver of digitalisation and production in the area of e-mobility strengthens the role of Berlin within the company and advances Berlin as a location for science and innovation. Beyond this I welcome the education and qualification activities, since this is an important step towards creating future-proof industrial jobs in Berlin. I wish the Berlin plant and its employees lots of success in this ambitious endeavour!“

A Mercedes-Benz Museum Advent Calendar?

Mercedes-Benz Museum, Collection Room 2: Gallery of Carriers. Mercedes-Benz LP 1513 heating oil tanker from 1974. The model series of cubic cab-overs are nicknamed “advent calendars” because of the numerous service flaps. Open flaps at the front, shot from the right front. (Photo index number in the Mercedes-Benz Classic Archives: D732984

No. 4/2021: The “advent calendar”

24 little doors: Where in the Mercedes-Benz Museum is there an advent calendar? Of course, in the shop. In the pre-Christmas season, fans of the brand can choose between four different model kits, whose parts are concealed behind the 24 doors. A 300 SL Coupé (W 198) or a Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé (C 190), for example, will emerge by Christmas – it doesn’t always have to be chocolate.

Advent calendar for the whole year: Rather surprising, on the other hand, is an “advent calendar” that is on display all year round in the Museum’s permanent exhibition in Collection Room 2: Gallery of Carriers. It is an LP 1513, which is on the road as a heating oil truck in the 1970s. It has three doors at the front, plus additional flaps inside the cab, and in other places as well. This design is the reason the whole truck family of “cubic cab-overs” got its advent nickname. There aren’t as many doors as on a real advent calendar – and, of course, you can’t expect chocolate or model kits behind them either. But what is behind the doors?

Cubic cab: The heating oil tanker in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, built in 1974, belongs to the medium-duty series of commercial vehicles with a so-called cubic driver’s cab, introduced in 1965. This generation of trucks with the star was also available in a light-duty version (likewise from 1965 – as the first products of the then new plant in Wörth) and in a heavy-duty version as early as 1963. Visually, the three classes can be distinguished by the headlamp position, for instance: on the light-duty “advent calendars” they fill the entire radiator grille height, on the medium-duty trucks they fill the lower half, and the heavy-duty commercial vehicles have the headlamps below the radiator.

Radiator, headlamps and more: The radiator grille of the heating oil tanker hides the three most prominent doors of this “advent calendar”. In the middle, a flap hinged at the bottom opens, behind which the radiator with a filler nozzle for the coolant can be reached, among other things. To the left and right, doors with vertical hinges provide access, for example, to the headlamps for changing bulbs and the ventilation flaps to the interior of the cab. The engine and the filler neck for the oil, on the other hand, can be reached by the driver from inside the cab: there is a service hatch on the transmission tunnel between the seats.

“Pullman truck”: In keeping with Mercedes-Benz tradition, the different variants bear the abbreviation “LP” in front of the numerical sequence of the model designation. “L” stands for the German word for truck and “P” (derived from “Pullman”) for a cab-over. The combination of the numbers 1513 on the exhibit at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Collection Room 2: Gallery of Carriers thus refers to a gross vehicle weight rating of 15 tonnes and an engine output of around 130 hp. To be precise, the in-line six-cylinder engine with a displacement of 5,675 cc develops 96 kW (131 hp).

Classic modernism: Ergonomically and aesthetically, the cubic front cab-overs clearly point the way to the modern age. However, their technical design also partly follows classic concepts. This applies in particular to the tilt function of the cab, which was missing at the beginning. This is the reason why various major components are made accessible via numerous flaps.

The last little door: Production of the cubic Mercedes-Benz cab-overs came to an end in the mid-1980s, with only the light-duty models still being built at the end. However, the principle of maintenance flaps distributed over the driver’s cab has long since outlived its usefulness because even the late “advent calendars” are offered with a tilting cab. And in subsequent model series, such as the “New Generation” (NG) produced from 1973 onwards, the tiltable cabs were standard from the very beginning. They can be tilted forward hydraulically, allowing convenient access to the technical components. 9,406 units of the LP 1513 were built from 1967 to 1976.

The Mercedes-Benz Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
The ticket desk always closes at 5 p.m.

Diagnosis of Inoperative Mercedes 380 SL Blower Motor AC/Heater -- Problem Solved!

 During the summer I did not use my AC/Heater Blower Motor. However, a few weeks ago it finally turned colder for a day and behold -- the blower motor was no longer operative. What to do?

1) I followed Ken’s advice at MercedesSource.com and began by examining the fuzes. On my SL the relevant fuzes are 6 and 7. They looked good, although I did remove and also rotated them in their settings. Nothing changed.

2) OK, then Ken suggests that more than likely the problem must be with the motor itself. Rather than replace the motor brushes, I decided to buy a new URO motor from Rockauto for $88. Replacing the motor is very straightforward, using directions from a pages that one can buy from MercedesSource.com. Well done descriptions and photos. My only problem was that my blower motor was in its place for the past 40 years. It was glued to the seal, and thus I had to take a heat gun to free it up to pull it out. I replaced the motor, cleaned everything up, replaced it after having to deal with the plastic blower case that has polygonal parts that demand your careful attention. The numerous metal clips that hold this case together are tight and you must take care not to over stress old plastic that can be brittle.

Result: nothing changed -- probably I wasted $88.

3) Now what? There were two other potential trouble spots -- the control panel and a black box accessible by going through the glovebox. I had alternative used parts for each that I acquired at a pick and pull yard from a 1983 380SEC. I substituted my salvage black box and no change resulted. I could not properly substitute  the control unit, but I did resolder a few suspicious contacts on the control box. Again, no change!

Using advice published on the Program Internet page under R 107 Control unit. I made several chucks using a VOM better on left and right connectors of the control unit once they were unplugged. With key on, checked amperage on two contacts for the possible failure of the auxiliary water pump. The reading needed to be below 1.3 amps, and indeed it was 0 amps. So Aux water pump OK. Also didsimilar checks and confirmed that the A/c relay was OK and that the Monovalve was OK. You need to do these if you are replacing the Control Unit with a Reman from Programa.

4) Took my car to Brock at Specialty Motorwerks in Moraine. He thought it was a black box issue, ordered a reman unit, substituted it, and again no change. One of the other mechanics kept on saying “ignition switch,” "ignition switch.” Sure enough, that is what it was. It was recently replaced, too. But the part I bought from Rockauto came from India. It had failed miserably.

Moral of the story -- only use MB parts if available. 

HST 344 Tom Wolfe’s “Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” Essay for the course “The Automobile and American Life"

This extra credit essay assignment is due at class time on November 30th. 

In Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, the author accompanies the ‘Merry Pranksters’ as they ride across the country in the bus they named ‘Furthur’. Write a detailed essay of no less than 1,500 words in which you answer each of the following questions, and that includes an introduction and conclusion that tie your answers to each part together into a whole.

1. Who were Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters?  What was the wider historical context in which they came together?

2. In 1964 the group embarked on a journey across the country in a refitted school bus.  Where were they going?  What happened along the route? 

3. What were the Prankster’s trying to do on the journey and as a group?  How did the bus fit into that?

4. How did Wolfe characterize the group?  Consider the way that the journey was classically American? 

5. Discuss the impact you think the group and their journey had on American culture?

The essay must have a cover page, be typed in Times Roman 12pt font, double spaced, with one-inch margins, use single spaced indented blocks whenever quoting passages of over 3 lines. It must also include references, page numbers, and list the essay word count in backets, like this [1,821], following the last period of the essay. Failure to follow these instructions will negatively impact your grade. 

You will be graded on: A) STYLE & FORM: How well you follow instructions. The degree to which you answer each of the questions. The effectiveness of your writing style and organization. B) ARGUMENT:  How well you create an overarching argument. This includes clearly stating the argument in the introduction and explain your findings implications in the conclusion. C) USE OF HISTORY: The degree of detail and historical facts you muster during your essay. D) THOUGHTFULLNESS:  The quality of the insight you display in your thesis and argument.

 

Some Notes to Help

In 1964 there were 15 members of the ‘Merry Band of Pranksters’ that traveled on the bus across the country. 

1. Ken Kesey (The Chief, Captain Flag, or Swashbuckler), author (1935-2001)
2. Neal Cassady (Sir Speed Limit), driver (eastbound), author (1926-1968)
3. Cathy Casamo (Stark Naked), actress, girlfriend of Larry Hankin
4. Ron Bevirt (Hassler), photographer (1939-)
5. Ken Babbs (Intrepid Traveler), author, boyfriend of Paula Sundsten (1939-)
6. John Babbs (Sometimes Missing), Ken Babbs' older brother (1937-2012)
7. Jane Burton (Generally Famished), Stanford philosophy professor, pregnant at the time
8. Sandy Lehmann-Haupt (Dis-Mount), sound engineer (1942-2001)
9. Paula Sundsten (Gretchen Fetchin or Slime Queen), girlfriend of Ken Babbs
10. Mike Hagen (Mal Function), cameraman
11. George Walker (Hardly Visible)
12. Steve Lambrecht (Zonker), businessman (1942-1998)
13. Chuck Kesey (Brother Charlie), Ken's brother
14. Dale Kesey (Highly Charged), Ken's cousin, “bus chaplain”
15. Linda Breen (Anonymous), a 14 year old runaway who hopped on in Canada during the original trip

Others joined that journey at various points, and in later trips taken by the group.  They also visited lots of people.

"Blue Highways" Essay Question, HST 344

Below is an essay question I recently used on a test in my HST 344, “The Automobile and American Life” course.

II Essay (50 pts). Write an essay in which you COMPLETE ALL FIVE of the following tasks about the book Blue Highways. 

(1) As the story begins, who is William Least Heat Moon? What was the vehicle used during the trip and did it have significance?  

(2) In our present-day America we rarely use maps in our travels, as well as traversing blue highways.  Rather, GPS seems to now be almost universally employed.  How does that change the nature of automotive travel?

(3) As he circles America, Least Heat Moon meets many individuals along the way, and at times, he encounters vast spaces. In the process of this journey, he grows spiritually. Briefly discuss his spiritual journey.

(4) In your opinion, who were the most interesting and worthwhile individuals he met during his journey and why? What landscapes were most striking?

(5) When answering each of the above questions, be as detailed and critical observant as possible. ALSO:  write an introduction and a conclusion in which you tie together the answers you give for the four questions above, and explain your overall impression of the book's meaning.

The Star in the Ring: The Story of Mercedes-Benz and its Famous Trade Mark

Poster from 1926 for the merger of Daimler and Benz. It shows the three-pointed star of Mercedes and the laurel wreath of Benz. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archives: B42791)

The three-dimensional Mercedes star in the ring is the symbol of a continuing success story: Mercedes-Benz has just recently maintained its top position as the only European brand in the top ten of the “Best Global Brands 2021”. In the current ranking of the renowned US brand consultancy Interbrand, the brand with the star is once again – and thus unchanged since 2018 – ranked in eighth place. The brand value has increased by three per cent to 50.866 billion US dollars compared with 2020. Consequently, Mercedes-Benz remains the world’s most valuable luxury car brand for the sixth year in a row and the only one in the top ten.

The trademark with its enormous charisma celebrates a great anniversary in 2021: The star in the ring is 100 years old in this form. On 5 November 1921, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) applied to the patent office for utility model protection for this and other variants of its trademark. It was registered as a trademark in August 1923. The cooling water screw cap immediately became a pedestal for the new Mercedes brand signet. Soon, it was also used in other parts of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The star itself – without the surrounding ring – had been known for a good decade. DMG applied for utility model protection for it in 1909, and it was entered in the trademark register in 1911.

A very special Mercedes star with an impressive five-metre diameter can currently be admired free of charge in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum: the star of Stuttgart’s station tower is temporarily on loan while the station building is being rebuilt and renovated. From 2025 onwards, this landmark of Baden-Württemberg’s state capital will once again shine in its traditional place. Stars of similar size shine and rotate on numerous buildings around the world. But you rarely get as close to them as you do at the Mercedes-Benz Museum.

Mercedes-Benz: merger of company and trademark in 1926

The merger of DMG with Benz & Cie. to form Daimler-Benz AG also saw their trademarks merge: from the summer of 1926 onwards, DMG’s three-pointed star was edged with Benz’s laurel wreath – and has distinguished every Mercedes-Benz ever since, e.g. in the radiator grille, on the bonnet, on the steering wheel or on the rims. With the success of the new automotive brand, this synonym for technological innovation, engineering skill and brand-defining design began to enjoy a tremendous level of recognition worldwide and acquired immense standing.

The history of the star and laurel wreath goes back to the previous century. As early as 1899, Austrian businessman Emil Jellinek, who lived in Baden near Vienna as well as in Nice, used the name of his daughter Mercédès as a pseudonym for team and driver when using DMG vehicles. A little later, the name “Mercedes” became the product name of the vehicles that Jellinek ordered from DMG. It was registered as a trademark on 26 September 1902.

The term is followed by the characteristic symbol: Paul and Adolf Daimler, the sons of automobile pioneer Gottlieb Daimler, who died in March 1900, remembered how their father had added a star to a postcard showing the family home many years ago. DMG took up the idea and applied for utility model protection for a three-dimensionally drawn representation of the symbol designed by Adolf Daimler himself. The three-pointed star was intended to symbolise Gottlieb Daimler’s vision of motorisation “on land, on water and in the air”. On 24 June 1909, DMG registered the characteristic Mercedes star as a trademark with the German Imperial Patent Office.

Independently of this, the competing Benz & Cie. registered the “Benz” lettering framed by a laurel wreath as a trademark on 6 August 1909. In October 1910, it was entered in the symbol records. The laurel wreath – instead of the cogwheel used until then – was apparently intended to refer to the significant victories of the Mannheim company in motorsport.

The fact that both manufacturers registered their new trademarks in the same year appears in retrospect to be a parallel to the year 1886. For it was then that Carl Benz and, a little later, Gottlieb Daimler invented their automobiles powered by a high-speed internal combustion engine.

The three-pointed star in the laurel wreath

After the establishment of the community of interests between Benz and Daimler in preparation for the corporate merger on 1 May 1924, the emblems of the two oldest car manufacturers initially stood side by side. On 18 February 1925, accomplished graphic artists finally put the effective signets together. Thus, the three-pointed star and laurel wreath as well as the word marks Mercedes and Benz merged to form a new trademark. On 18 February 1925, the new emblem and subsequently the word mark “Mercedes-Benz” were registered. To this day, this trademark remains almost unchanged. As a badge with the highlighted three-pointed star, it adorns all Mercedes-Benz vehicles, quite apart from the larger star on the front of many vehicles of this brand, which stands on its own.

On a side note: parallel to the three-pointed star, DMG also had a four-pointed star protected in 1921. However, it was not used until many decades later, from 19 May 1989: as a trademark of former aerospace company DASA (Deutsche Aerospace Aktiengesellschaft) and later DaimlerChrysler Aerospace.