Mercedes has presented a futuristic hydrogen fuel-cell-powered SUV concept in a challenge for automotive designers hosted by The Los Angeles Auto Show.

The German automaker imagined a spectacularly innovative SUV: the Mercedes Ener-G-Force provides a few hints as to the direction in which tomorrow’s off-roaders are headed — ever ‘greener’ and fully loaded.

Its power comes from a hydrogen fuel cell system that generates fuel from recycled water stored in rooftop tanks and sends power to the motors located in the wheel hubs, for an operating range of about 800 km (about 500 miles).

The roof rack includes a topography sensor that scans the surroundings to adapt the suspension to different terrain. The concept may also hold some clues regarding future traits of Mercedes’s iconic G-class.