Mercedes-Benz just revealed the 2021 S-Class, and before the day is out, we already have photos of the sedan rolling off the assembly line in Germany. Unfortunately, these cars are not U.S. bound. We’ll have to wait for 2021 to get our hands on the new S-Class on this side of the world, and predictably, Europe gets the initial taste.
It’s being produced in a new production facility that Mercedes so industrially calls Factory 56. The factory is new for the brand, and it’s designed to be much more sustainable than older car building sites. Another goal for the factory was efficiency. Mercedes claims that this next-gen S-Class will be produced with 25 percent greater efficiency than the previous generation thanks to a new assembly system. On just a single floor, Mercedes will be producing the traditional gas-powered S-Class, a to-be-announced PHEV variant and the fully-electric EQS. In short, the assembly line is much more flexible than it was before, incorporating new autonomous transport systems and a new modular body and powertrain marriage process.
The sustainability aspect comes from the lower energy consumption of the plant itself — Mercedes says it’s a carbon-neutral plant. It gets energy from a massive array of solar panels and can store this energy when it isn’t needed in reused vehicle batteries. Much of the roof is covered in vegetation, and natural sunlight is used for lighting in some areas. This sustainable mantra is carried over to the S-Class cars the factory builds.
Mercedes says it has doubled the amount of components in the car that are made from recycled materials to 120. In total, 198 pounds of recycled material can be found in the new S-Class. The interior uses a new “natural fiber microsandwich.” Sounds tasty, right? This material is used in door panel map pockets, seat backrest linings and the parcel shelf. Mercedes says it weighs 40 percent less than the previous materials and its greater strength results in improved crash performance.
Recycled nylon is used for the floor coverings. Mercedes collects old fish nets and fabric remnants from mills and carpets destined for a landfill, then transforms them into a new thread. Mercedes’ marketing name for this recycled material is ECONYL. Eco-friendly nylon sounds fairly representative of it to us.
Additionally, the cable ducts that route electrical lines through the vehicle are now made of recycled plastics. There are plenty of wires, so this accounts for six of the 198 pounds of recycled materials. Obviously, this interior isn’t filled with sustainable materials like the Polestar 2 is, but it’s nice to see Mercedes making an effort to be more environmentally friendly with its materials decision making.
We’re still waiting on official EPA fuel economy numbers, but the low 0.22 drag coefficient makes it one of the most aerodynamic cars in the world. That’s even better than the Tesla Model 3 and Toyota Prius, and the S-Class is massive compared to those vehicles. Of course, this also helps cabin acoustics and interior serenity, one of Mercedes’ goals for any S-Class. Read our full reveal story to get a more in-depth breakdown of what’s new with the 2021 S-Class.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2021 Rolling Off The Assembly Line In Europe Already
03/10/2020
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Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG
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Narwhals may be using their tusks to play, new study finds
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Scientists say they have the first recorded video evidence of narwhals using tusks not only to strike and manipulate fish during feeding but also engage in what appears to be playful behavior, according to the latest research.
The narwhal, often referred to as the “unicorn of the sea” in a nod to its trademark tusk, has long remained an enigma. Scientists have observed few interactions of narwhals in their natural habitat, creating speculation about the purpose of the species’ distinctive spiraling tusk.
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Found predominantly in males, the tusk grows up to 10 feet (3 meters) long — and previous research has suggested it serves as a competitive display to secure mates. But now, with the help of drones, research conducted in the Canadian High Arctic has uncovered that a narwhal may use its tusk for more than just courtship.
In total, the researchers newly identified and described 17 distinct behaviors of narwhals involving prey. The findings revealed a wide range of interactions and dynamics between narwhals and fish as well as the extraordinary agility, precision and speed of their tusks to track moving targets, according to the study published February 27 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.
“Seeing that these animals are not actually hunting the fish but exploring, manipulating and interacting with it was really a game changer,” said lead author Dr. Gregory O’Corry-Crowe, a research professor in the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University.
Since so little is understood about this whale species, researchers like O’Corry-Crowe and his colleagues are working diligently to conduct studies to document narwhals’ unknown behaviors to better understand how these animals adapt in a rapidly shifting habitat as oceans warm and sea ice melts.
Narwhal exploratory behavior
The study team captured the groundbreaking footage using drones in Creswell Bay, on the eastern side of Somerset Island in Canada’s Nunavut territory, during the summer of 2022.
As the researchers analyzed the footage, they noticed subtle nuances in the narwhals’ behavior. Footage even captured one instance of a narwhal interacting with a fish by repeatedly nudging it with its tusk — which is actually a giant tooth — without attempting to eat it.
When researchers observed a lack of aggression in some interactions between narwhals and fish, they realized these scenarios were more similar to a cat-and-mouse game, in which the animals were chasing or “playing” rather than hunting, O’Corry-Crowe said.