Mercedes 2003 Annual Report Download - page 75
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We see hybrids as an intermediate step between combustion
engines and fuelcells. DaimlerChrysler is therefore working on new
drive technologies that fully exploit their advantages. Since the
early 1990s, we have developed and tested hybrids that cover the
entire automotive range, from passengers cars and vans to trucks
and buses. Our latest research vehicle, the Mercedes-Benz F 500
Mind (see pages 68 f), is powered by a state-of-the-art diesel
hybrid engine with a total output of 234 kW. This system cuts fuel
consumption in the European driving cycle by up to 20% and thus
produces fewer emissions than engines of comparable series-
production vehicles.
Fuel roadmap drawn up. In a milestone on the road to
sustainable mobility, DaimlerChrylser has prepared a concept for
the future development of fuel use. This fuel roadmap aims to
secure the long-term supply of energy at socially acceptable costs
and to reduce its environmental impact. Appropriate high-tech
fuels are required to fully exploit the potential offered by fuel-
efficient high-tech engines. High-quality fuels not only burn more
efficiently, they also open the way for a new design of engines with
very low emissions. Our research into the transition from fossil
fuels to renewable sources of energy focuses on protecting the
climate and helping reduce CO2emissions from road traffic, as well
as on ensuring the long-term availability of fuel supplies.
A practical interim step toward such advanced fuels is compressed
natural gas (CNG). At the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, the
Mercedes-Benz brand presented a natural-gas vehicle based on the
Mercedes-Benz E 200 Compressor that can also run on conven-
tional fuel. This vehicle meets the strict emissions standards laid
down by the EU-4 directive. In natural-gas operation mode, CO2
emissions are reduced by another 20% or more compared with
gasoline operation, which is already extremely efficient with this
engine. With this natural-gas car, DaimlerChrysler is building on the
experience gained in the Vans business unit.
World’s first biogenic diesel fuel. In 2003, we presented the
world’s first CO2-neutral advanced diesel fuel, “Biotrol”. This
sulfur-free and non-aromatic fuel is produced through the complete
utilization of organic substances. The fuel is produced in
cooperation with Volkswagen as part of a project promoted by the
German Ministry of Economics and Labor.
An industrial pilot plant for the production of bio-synthetic liquid
fuel went into operation in 2003. This new fuel reduces emissions
substantially, because the combustion of the bio-synthetic fuel
releases only the CO2that has been extracted from the atmo-
sphere by plants during growth and stored in their biomass, which
is then used to produce the fuel. DaimlerChrysler will use fleets of
test vehicles to determine the suitability of the fuel for a wide range
of applications.
Production of the fuelcell powered Mercedes-Benz A-Class F-Cell in the DaimlerChrysler Rastatt plant