Mercedes-Benz F600 Hygenius (2005)

With the 2005 Tokyo auto show shaping up to be one of the greenest auto shows ever, Mercedes is right on the money with this new fuel-cell concept named, rather tritely, Hygenius.

The Hygenius concept, which is based on the ultra-compact European Mercedes-Benz B-Class, is designed to show just how compactly the latest fuel-cell technology can be packaged and how practical fuel-cell cars are becoming. And just how economical, too. Mercedes is talking about the equivalent of 97 mpg from the Hygenius whose hydrogen-powered fuel cell is some 40 percent smaller than the company’s previous generation. Driving range is put at more than 250 miles.

Mercedes says the Hygenius is the next step along the way towards fuel-cell cars reaching full production maturity sometime between 2012 and 2015.