Mercedes 2009 Annual Report Download - page 130

Daimler Trucks North America introduced many new products last
year. Freightliner unveiled its Innovation Truck at the Mid-American
Trucking Show (MATS) in March. This heavy-duty Cascadia truck
features a range of innovative systems including RunSmart Predic-
tive Cruise Control (PCC), which reduces fuel consumption and
emissions by intelligently linking GPS technology with digital car-
tography. Trucks NAFTA is also forging ahead with the develop-
ment and launch of environmentally friendly technologies. In 2009,
customers in the United States for the first time tested Freight-
liner trucks equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for
exhaust gas treatment. With this technology, which has proven
its worth in our BlueTec trucks in Europe, our engines fulfill the
EPA
2010 emissions limits that took effect in the United States
in January 2010.
Reducing fuel consumption in order to improve environmental
compatibility and economic efficiency is also a key feature of the
two new Freightliner Coronado models launched last year. These
heavy-duty trucks for long-distance haulage, construction applica-
tions and municipal services are also equipped with BLUETEC
technology, which has been tried and tested over a total distance
of more than 28 million miles. The effectiveness of our drive
technology is reflected in the US Department of Energy’s decision
to include Daimler Trucks North America in its Clean Cities Pro-
gram. As part of that project, the unit will receive financial support
to produce and market more than 600 trucks with hybrid drive
and natural-gas drive.
Repositioning of business operations at Trucks Asia. Trucks
Asia, with its Fuso brand, is one of the largest suppliers of light,
medium and heavy-duty trucks in Japan. Fuso also covers the
entire spectrum of buses, ranging from city buses to luxury travel
coaches.
At 99,500 vehicles, unit sales by Trucks Asia were 50% lower in
2009 than in the prior year. The biggest decreases in unit sales
were posted in the Middle East, Japan, Indonesia and Turkey. In
Japan, we managed to maintain our market position in the truck
and bus segment with a market share of 20.5% (2008: 22.6%).
We also remain the clear market leader for light-duty trucks in
Taiwan and Indonesia.
In view of structural changes in the commercial vehicle market,
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) announced
in May 2009 that it would comprehensively realign its business
operations. The Japanese home market is suffering in particular
from a continuing structural downward trend. As a result, the
commercial vehicle market stabilizes at a lower volume following
each downturn. A crucial element of this realignment therefore
involves a stronger focus on markets with growth potential outside
Japan. Fuso is already the market leader in many of Asia’s emerg-
ing markets, such as Indonesia and Taiwan. By penetrating com-
mercial vehicle markets in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia,
we will also strengthen our position in Central Asia and Eastern
Europe. As part of its efforts to expand its international business,
Fuso also entered the Puerto Rican market in September 2009.
With this step, Fuso increased its number of sales partners in
the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico to more than 200, thus
significantly strengthening Fuso’s position in the region.
Fuso has extensive expertise for the development of alternative
drive systems for commercial vehicles. Daimler Trucks’ Global
Hybrid Center (GHC) in Kawasaki serves as the competence center
for the hybrid technologies of all Daimler Trucks’ brands. During
the year under review, Fuso once again significantly reduced the
fuel consumption and emissions of the Canter Eco Hybrid light-
duty truck, which is our most successful series-produced hybrid
truck; we have sold approximately 800 units of this vehicle since
its market launch. This environmentally friendly delivery truck was
also sold outside Japan for the first time in October 2009, when
several units of the model were exported to Ireland and Australia.
Fuso successfully develops and markets hybrid buses as well. At
Eco Car World in Japan, we presented the second version of the
Fuso Aero Star Eco Hybrid to the public. Parallel to hybrid drive,
MFTBC also focuses on the development of safety technologies.
The all-new Fuso ASV-4 (Advanced Safety Vehicle 4) has numer-
ous traffic-safety features, including warning systems, and has
been undergoing field trials since late January 2009.
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A key element of the repositioning of our business in Asia: the Fuso Super Great.