Mercedes 2013 Annual Report Download - page 104

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We have also reduced the fuel consumption of the most recent
models of our commercial vehicles. Our new Actros, Arocs,
Antos and Atego models and the all-new Freightliner Cascadia
Evolution heavy-duty truck are the cleanest and most eco-
nomical vehicles in their respective classes. In addition, our new
buses also have outstanding fuel efficiency. E see pages 110 f
Innovation award for NANOSLIDE. For its all-new NANOSLIDE®
coating technique for cylinder walls, Daimler received the
German Innovation Award for Climate and the Environment (IKU)
2013 in the category “Process Innovations for Climate Protection”
in December 2013. The award is presented by the German
Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear
Safety (BMU) and the Federation of German Industry (BDI)
to honor ideas and developments that help protect the climate
and the environment. NANOSLIDE technologies, such as
those used in the new Mercedes-Benz six-cylinder engines
and in selected AMG drive systems, optimize friction within
the engine. Because NANOSLIDE enables Daimler to dispense
with cast-iron cylinder liners, engine weight can be reduced
by several kilograms. Both of these improvements save fuel –
by around 3% in the case of six-cylinder engines, for example.
In the NANOSLIDE process, an electric arc is used to melt iron-
carbon alloy wires. A flow of gas is then applied to spray the
melted material onto the interior cylinder wall of the lightweight
aluminum crankcase. The resulting lining is then finely
smoothed so that the coating is only 0.1 to 0.15 mm thick.
The micropores uncovered by this process allow the surface
to absorb unusually large amounts of motor oil. In addition
to creating very low levels of friction, the material’s ultrafine
to nanocrystalline structure makes the lining very resistant
to wear and tear. As a consequence, the NANOSLIDE technique
is climate-friendly as well as extremely economical.
Innovative hybrid technology in the new S-Class. Already
in 2009, Mercedes-Benz presented the S 400 HYBRID1,
the world’s first series-produced car with a hybrid drive system
that uses a lithium-ion battery. We are now offering hybrid
drive systems for the new S-Class series in a total of three mod-
els: the S 400 HYBRID1, the S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID2 and the
S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID3. The last of these models was presented
to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013 and will
be delivered to customers as of September 2014. All of these
second-generation hybrid drive systems are smoothly inte-
grated into the powertrain. Whereas the batteries of the S 400
HYBRID1 and the S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID2 are only recharged
by the combustion engine or when the vehicle is braking or
coasting, the new high-voltage lithium-ion battery in the S 500
PLUG-IN HYBRID3) can also be recharged from an external
source through a charging socket in the right rear bumper. With
the help of a synchronous electric motor, the S-Class can
travel considerable distances solely on electricity. This allows
it to achieve fuel consumption that would have seemed impos-
sible in the large-sedan segment just a few years ago. The
car achieves these record values without compromising on per-
formance, comfort or range. And thanks to the pre-air con-
ditioning functions, occupants also enjoy a very comfortable
climate-controlled interior. The second-generation S-Class
hybrids have an anticipatory energy management system that
improves energy efficiency. The hybrid drive’s operating
strategy not only takes the current driving situation and the
driver’s preferences into account, but also anticipates probable
changes in the route (uphill and downhill gradients, curves
and speed limits) over the next eight kilometers. The “smart
hybrid” uses the navigation data provided by COMAND
Online to control the charging and discharging of the high-volt-
age battery. For example, it aims to use the energy contained
in the battery to drive the vehicle before it reaches a downhill
stretch because the energy recovery system will then be
able to recharge the battery.
The new Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive4. At the New
York International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the
new B-Class Electric Drive4, which will be introduced
in the US market in 2014 before later being launched in Europe.
The electric Mercedes sets high standards amongst electric
vehicles for comfort, quality and safety. For the B-Class Electric
Drive, we are once again taking advantage of TESLA Motors’
expertise and incorporating the powertrain unit that company
developed. The car’s quiet, locally emission-free operation
is made possible by a 130 kW electric motor, which delivers its
maximum torque of 340 Nm as soon as the driver steps on
the gas pedal. That’s about the same as the amount of torque
provided by a state-of-the-art three-liter gasoline engine.
A high-performance lithium-ion battery supplies the electrical
drive system with energy. The battery is located in the “energy
space” of the car’s underbody, where it is safely protected and
takes up little room. This smart packaging ensures that the
five-seat vehicle retains the B-Class’s well-known interior spa-
ciousness and large trunk size. To extend the car’s range,
its top speed is electronically limited to 160 km/h. The vehicle
has a range of about 200 kilometers, depending on the
driving cycle.
A unique spectrum of electrically powered vehicles.
Because our spectrum of battery or fuel-cell powered locally
emission-free vehicles ranges from cars and vans to light
trucks and buses, the models we offer in this area can meet
almost any road mobility requirement. In June 2012, we
began to produce the new smart fortwo electric drive5, which
is now available in 14 markets worldwide, including China
and the United States. With a market share of around 30%,
the smart fortwo electric drive5 is the leader in Germany’s
electric car segment. More than 1,200 e-smarts are being used
around the clock as part of our innovative car2go mobility
service. The technology is proving its worth every day in various
large cities around the globe. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class
F-CELL6 and the Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid city bus
are the world’s most extensively tested fuel-cell vehicles.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL7 has been on the road since
the fall of 2010. In the van segment, we have been delivering
panel-van and crewbus versions of the Mercedes-Benz Vito
E-CELL8 to customers since mid-2010. We also offer FUSO
Canter E-CELL and Freightliner Custom Chassis MT E-Cell light
trucks. Customers began to receive the Mercedes-Benz SLS
AMG Coupe Electric Drive9 in mid-2013. This model is geared
toward technology-focused super-sports car fans with a
passion for state-of-the-art engineering and futuristic high-
tech solutions. In China, we will launch the first electric vehicle
built by the DENZA brand in 2014. We jointly developed,
and now produce, this innovative model with our partner BYD.