Electric E-Class Concept Pays Tribute to Mercedes-Benz Design Icon Bruno Sacco

• The Mercedes-Benz Vision-E is a completely electric E-Class Coupe concept car created by Mehran Cheraghi, which takes design cues from the Bruno Sacco era, in its proportions.

• Design is characterized by simple geometries and an orderly, clean look created by having low-relief body lines and surface treatment that do not include retro-styling features or excessive detail.

• Vision-E draws conceptual links to the 190E Elektro electric prototype created under Sacco's influence when he was at Mercedes-Benz in 1990.

  

An Independent Designer’s Tribute to the Bruno Sacco Era of Mercedes-Benz

The recent departure of Gorden Wagener after nearly three decades at the helm of Mercedes-Benz design has reignited interest in the legacy of his predecessor, Bruno Sacco. Sacco’s work, defined by proportion, surface discipline, and continuity, still resonates with designers and enthusiasts alike.

Independent designer Mehran Cheraghi presents the Mercedes-Benz Vision-E, a fully electric concept based on the current E-Class  platform. The study builds on the structural clarity and measured detailing that defined Mercedes-Benz design through the 1980s and early 1990s. Vision-E is not a retro design, nor is it a reinterpretation of a specific model. It applies the design logic of Sacco’s era to the packaging and proportions of an electric vehicle.

Design Language

Cheraghi references Sacco’s principles through the use of long, uninterrupted surfaces, clean rooflines, and a balanced stance. The body is shaped with visual restraint, guided by proportion rather than decorative elements. The cut-off rear volume and side profile are both familiar and current, shaped to suit an electric drivetrain without losing their identity.

This project follows the same compositional approach seen in Mercedes coupés of the Sacco era. Surfaces are calm and resolved. Lines are structural, not expressive. The design relies on coherence, not contrast.

Electric Mercedes in Context

Although Sacco is best known for internal combustion vehicles, Mercedes-Benz did develop an electric prototype during his leadership. In 1990, the company introduced the 190E Elektro, a functional battery-electric version of the W201 sedan. The car retained the full exterior design of the production 190E, underscoring Sacco’s belief in continuity and proportion across platforms.

The 190E Elektro marked one of the company’s first public experiments with electric propulsion in a passenger vehicle. The design was untouched. Its function changed, not its form. That precedent gives Vision-E historical footing within Mercedes-Benz’s own design archive.

Vision-E Brief

The goal of Vision-E was to create a fully electric E-Class Coupé that respects brand identity, adapts to contemporary requirements, and uses proportion as the main visual structure. Without a combustion engine, the front end is organized around a Virtual Grille—a digital surface that occupies the visual space of the traditional intake.

The body is defined by clean geometry. Surfaces connect without interruption. Volumes are drawn long and low, anchored by the wheelbase and glasshouse, not graphics or ornamentation.

Use Case and Character

Vision-E is intended as a refined coupé for urban and intercity use. It is designed for drivers who value continuity in brand character, clarity in form, and a quieter expression of design. The emphasis is on usability and visual maturity.

Continuation 

Vision-E follows an internal logic that connects it to Sacco’s work through form, not theme. Its development is grounded in the same concerns—proportion, surface, and restraint—that shaped many of Mercedes-Benz’s most enduring vehicles. With the 190E Elektro as a precedent, the Vision-E concept extends a line of thinking that has existed inside the company for over three decades.

Full gallery Representing the Vision E Concept by Mehran Cheraghi can be found at the end of the article. 

Connect with  Mehran Cheraghi

To explore more of Mehran Cheraghi’s work, including ongoing projects and portfolio highlights, you can follow or connect with him on the following platforms:

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

Disclaimer

These projects are creative explorations by young car designers. In some cases, they were developed independently, while in others they were created with guidance or mentorship from OEM design studios, such as during internships. Unless otherwise noted, they are not official works of the manufacturers or studios involved.

DailyRevs does not claim credit for the vision or effort behind these projects and receives no financial compensation for publishing them. Each feature is shared with the consent of the designer following direct outreach and agreement. We also welcome submissions from designers who wish to be featured, provided the quality of the work meets our editorial standards.