Called Mercury Meta One, the car’s name is derived from the Greek word "meta," meaning "transcends" or "goes beyond." In the case of the Mercury Meta One concept, the name connotes the concept's personality, which transcends the expected in a passenger vehicle.

Designed to be the world’s first Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV)-capable diesel hybrid powertrain, the Mercury Meta One concept not only provides an astounding 431 lb.-ft. of torque but also is 97 percent cleaner than the Tier I emissions standard for NOx. Meta One shows that diesels can potentially meet the strictest emissions standards when combined with modern hybrid and after-treatment technologies.

"As the world’s first PZEV capable diesel, the Mercury Meta One concept shows that advanced technologies that we’re developing promise the potential to deliver diesels that can be as clean as the cleanest gasoline engines," said Schmidt. "The torque of this engine, when combined with the modular hybrid-electric transmission, also provides excellent driving performance."

The Mercury Meta One concept draws its power from a twin-turbocharged V-6 diesel engine and an electric motor in the modular hybrid transmission that together produce as much torque as a large V-10 gasoline engine – with much lower fuel consumption. Combined with an advanced exhaust after-treatment system, the powertrain provides an unprecedented combination of power and purity.

The Mercury Meta One concept’s engine is calibrated to run on a special renewable fuel that minimizes the vehicle’s overall production of carbon dioxide or CO2, a "greenhouse gas" that is a primary contributor to global warming.

In partnership with BP, Ford is exploring the performance of this biomass-sourced diesel fuel. This fuel can be blended with conventional diesel fuel to provide a corresponding reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. Since the fuel comes from biological feedstocks that absorb CO2 during their growth, the fuel is said to close the "carbon loop" because the vehicle’s carbon emissions are offset by the carbon-negative fuel production.

The Mercury Meta One was created through a partnership formed among Ford’s Advanced Design Studio, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering, Ford Brand Imaging, Lincoln Mercury Marketing and a host of technology suppliers.