Mercedes 2006 Annual Report Download - page 122

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Environment
€1.7 billion spent on environmental protection | BLUETEC – a sustainable concept for the world’s
cleanest diesel engines | Market-ready hybrid drive systems for commercial vehicles increase customer
utility in city traffic | Further emission reductions with environmentally friendly fuels | 1.5 million
flex-fuel vehicles delivered worldwide
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Responsibility for the environment. Environmental protection is
an essential component of DaimlerChrysler’s corporate strategy.
Making mobility sustainable is our most important goal in the
area of environmental protection. We are improving our products’
environmental compatibility, continually reducing the fuel con-
sumption and emissions of our gasoline and diesel engines, and
developing alternative drive systems. We apply environmentally
friendlyproduction processes, help to improve fossil fuels and
promote the development and use of renewable fuels. In the
year under review, we spent €1.7 billion (2005: €1.5 billion) on
environmental protection.
BLUETEC – a milestone on the path to sustainable mobility.
The market launch of the Mercedes-Benz E 320 BLUETEC in the
United States and Canada in October 2006 opened up a new
era in the history of diesel drive systems for passenger cars.
Optimized engines and innovative technology for exhaust aftertreat-
ment make it the world’s cleanest diesel vehicle. Our goal is
to produce extremely fuel-efficient, robust and high-torque diesel
drive systems whose emissions approach those of gasoline en-
gines. This DaimlerChrysler technology will also enable diesel-
powered passenger cars to fulfill the world’s most stringent
emissions limits. What’smore, BLUETEC is a concept that can be
used by commercial vehicles and passenger cars alike. In 2008,
we plan to launchthree additional BLUETEC models that have
received type approval in all 50 US states.
The combined fuel consumption of the E 320 BLUETEC is 6.7 liters
per 100 km. In other words, the vehicle can travel around
1,200 km on one tank of diesel. In view of increasing fuel prices
and the challenges of climate protection, this model’s record-
breaking low fuel consumption is a strong argument for the use
of ultramodern, clean diesel technology. That’s why we plan
to gradually introduce BLUETEC passenger cars in other markets.
We aim to offer European customers BLUETEC in a passenger
car starting in 2008, provided that a sufficient supply of low-sul-
fur diesel fuel is available throughout Europe by that time.
BLUETEC has convincingly demonstrated its advantages since
early 2005 in Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles from all model
series, and is now standard equipment in European markets;
in 2006 we sold 24,900 BLUETEC trucks. These vehicles already
achieve emissions below the Euro 5 emissions norm, which will
go into effect in 2009. As a result, vehicle owners receive varying
reductions on vehicle taxes or toll charges, depending on the
countryinvolved. In other words, freight companies that have
invested in BLUETEC technology are reaping the benefits of
their commitment to environmental protection in financial terms
as well.
On track for success withenvironmentallyfriendly hybrid
drive systems. The successful use of hybrid drive systems in
commercial vehicles is demonstrated by our Orion buses and the
Canter truckof our brand Mitsubishi Fuso. Theyare fuel-effi-
cient, comfortable and low in emissions.
The advantages of hybrid drive are particularly apparent in urban
transport applications. These benefits have convinced the public
transport authorities of New York, Toronto and San Francisco,
who ordered a total of 420 of the Orion VII Hybrid city bus in 2006.
Our hybrid buses thus continued their success story in North
America. With 1,500 orders since the start of deliveries in 2003,
DaimlerChrysler was the world’s biggest supplier of hybrid
buses once again in 2006.
In July 2006, our Trucks Asia unit started production of the Canter
Eco Hybrid, the world’s most environmentally friendly series-
produced lightweight truck. As well as cutting fuel consumption
by 20%, this 2.8-ton vehicle reduces nitrogen oxides by 41%
and particulate emissions by 46%. In other words, it already fulfills
the emission limits that go into effect in Japan in August 2007.
Furthermore, we have teamed up with General Motors and
BMW at an engineering center in Troy, Michigan to develop the
next generation of hybrid drives for passenger cars. The goal
of this alliance is to pool knowledge and resources in order to
develop hybrid systems and components that each of the
participating automakers can integrate into its own vehicles in
a way most appropriate to its brands.