Mercedes 2009 Annual Report Download - page 135

The Mercedes-Benz Travego won the Innovation Prize with its Active Brake Assist and was also voted Coach of the Year 2010.
Divisions |Daimler Buses |131
High expertise in hybrid drive technologies. Daimler Buses
continues to consistently develop and test alternative drive
systems. One result of these activities was the unveiling of the
Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid in the spring of 2009.
The positive reactions illustrate how the environmentally friendly
bus has won over the decision-makers and experts at public
transport companies, who are obviously impressed by its ride
comfort, low noise emissions and economy. Passengers have
also been able to experience the advantages of hybrid buses in a
trial in Stuttgart.
The Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid bus celebrated its
German debut at the Mercedes-Benz Bus Days event in Mannheim
in mid-November 2009. Bus-sector journalists had the opportu-
nity to experience the innovative bus’s benefits and readiness for
everyday use during a practical test-drive event held in Hamburg.
Additional major orders for the Orion VII Hybrid were received
from several customers in 2009. The world’s best-selling hybrid
bus thus surpassed the mark of 2,600 units sold since its launch
on the North American market in the year 2003.
Award-winning products. As in prior years, our buses also
received many awards in 2009. Readers of “Busfahrer” magazine,
for example, voted Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses the “Bester
Bus 2009” in all three categories assessed: The Setra S 415 HD
was chosen as the winner in the coaches category, the Setra
S 415 NF was selected as “Bus of the Year 2009” in the readers’
survey in the interurban segment, while the Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter City 65 took top honors in the “Minibus” category.
At the end of September, the Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-
Hybrid was presented with the “f-cell award” for its drive-system
technology concept, and the Mercedes-Benz Travego received
the “Innovation Prize” for its Active Brake Assist system, which
helps to prevent collisions. The Travego was also voted “Coach
of the Year 2010.”
Investing to secure the future. Daimler Buses further develops
its two major German plants with investments totaling some
€42 million. The division inaugurated a new prototype and testing
facility in Mannheim in 2009 and a new administrative building
was officially handed over in Neu-Ulm. At our bus production site
in Istanbul, we invested in the expansion of production capaci-
ties in order to react even faster and more flexibly to future market
needs. At the plant in São Bernardo do Campo, we invested in
the paintshop. Investment also focused on technologies and new
products such as the successor generations to our city buses
and coaches. In addition, Daimler Buses prepared the delivery of
460 Mercedes-Benz buses for the soccer World Cup in South
Africa. And in India, we pushed forward with the expansion of our
sales and service network and increased production of the
twin-axle luxury coach.
“Beyond Busplus” efficiency program continues. Initiated in
2008, our “Beyond Bus
plus
” efficiency program is enabling us to
improve Daimler Buses’ cost position and serves as a basis for
further growth. Further activities in 2009 focused on the optimiza-
tion of net assets; in this context, we successfully reduced ve-
hicle stocks and trade receivables at all companies worldwide.