A Mercedes-Benz concept that charges from the sun (3 photos)

The Vision Iconic concept is clad not in paint, but in a "solar skin"—a photovoltaic coating that transforms the entire body into an invisible battery. Estimates suggest it can accumulate up to 12,000 km of range per year in the sun, simply by the side of the road.

Its appearance is a dialogue of eras: the graceful stance of classic 1930s fastbacks is clothed in an avant-garde form. And inside, it's not a salon, but a private club capsule: deep velvet, warm brass, and a floating Art Deco-inspired dashboard. Level 4 autonomous systems give the interior the feel of a limousine, where technology, like an attentive butler, ensures comfort and efficiency.

This is the final chord in the career of legendary designer Gorden Wagener—a manifesto at the intersection of luxury and energy independence.