The best consumer concept we saw at CES 2019

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The best consumer concept we saw at CES 2019

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Mercedes-Benz urbanetic concept car

Mercedes-Benz

  • Business Insider scoured the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to find the very best cutting-edge tech.
  • The best consumer concept we saw at the show was Mercedez-Benz's futuristic concept car, the Urbanetic.
  • The Urbanetic is a self-driving, fully electric vehicle where you can switch out the body on top of the chassis depending on your needs.

LAS VEGAS - The Consumer Electronics Show is home to thousands of concepts and futuristic designs that will never see the light of day. 

ces 2019 graphic

BI Graphics

But if there's one concept that we really hope makes it to consumers, it's the Urbanetic concept car from Mercedez-Benz.

At CES 2019, it was nearly impossible to get a great view of the Urbanetic, since dozens of people were standing around it to take pictures at any given time. But its popularity was warranted: The Urbanetic is Mercedez-Benz's vision for the future of transportation, where cars are fully autonomous and electric, but also fully modular.

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Mercedez-Benz envisions the Urbanetic being a people-mover during rush hours, but a cargo vehicle during other hours.

Mercedez-Benz envisions the Urbanetic being a people-mover during rush hours, but a cargo vehicle during other hours.

The Urbanetic can hold up to 12 people, but if you switch out the body on top of the chassis, the Urbanetic can become a goods transporter, which can support around 550 pounds of whatever you're hauling.

The Urbanetic can hold up to 12 people, but if you switch out the body on top of the chassis, the Urbanetic can become a goods transporter, which can support around 550 pounds of whatever you're hauling.
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Best of all, the Urbanetic is efficient: Mercedez-Benz claims the car has zero emissions, and learns the best routes and systems over time thanks to its self-learning infrastructure, which communicates with other cars within the fleet to navigate traffic in real-time as quickly as possible.

Best of all, the Urbanetic is efficient: Mercedez-Benz claims the car has zero emissions, and learns the best routes and systems over time thanks to its self-learning infrastructure, which communicates with other cars within the fleet to navigate traffic in real-time as quickly as possible.

What it is: The Urbanetic concept car

What it is: The Urbanetic concept car
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Who makes it: Mercedes-Benz

Who makes it: Mercedes-Benz

Why it's the best: The Urbanetic checks all the boxes of a futuristic car: It's self-driving, fully electric, has zero local emissions, can transport people or goods, and is constantly getting better all the time.

Why it's the best: The Urbanetic checks all the boxes of a futuristic car: It's self-driving, fully electric, has zero local emissions, can transport people or goods, and is constantly getting better all the time.
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Where and when you can get it: The car is currently in its "concept" stage, so the name and appearance are likely to change if and when Mercedes-Benz decides to sell this car.

Where and when you can get it: The car is currently in its "concept" stage, so the name and appearance are likely to change if and when Mercedes-Benz decides to sell this car.

How much it will cost: Unknown, but don't expect it to be cheap — if it ever arrives. Given the Mercedes name, and all of the high tech packed inside this futuristic and modular car, we'd expect the Urbanetic to cost at least six figures.

How much it will cost: Unknown, but don't expect it to be cheap — if it ever arrives. Given the Mercedes name, and all of the high tech packed inside this futuristic and modular car, we'd expect the Urbanetic to cost at least six figures.
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To see the Urbanetic in action, check out Mercedes-Benz's debut video for the car below.

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