Shaping Future Transportation
STUTTGART, GERMANY – July 22, 2009: Shaping the future of transport on a sustainable basis is more than just an economic or technical challenge for Daimler and its well-known brands as the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer – it is a social responsibility. "Shaping Future Transportation" is the name of an initiative that takes a comprehensive approach to place the focus on both environmental aspects and safety.
Drastically reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emissions
Daimler AG continues to place the highest priority on the drastic reduction
of fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and exhaust emissions in commercial
vehicles, as part of the Shaping Future Transportation initiative which
commenced at the end of 2007. BlueTec diesel technology, which is already
proving its effectiveness in more than 220,000 Mercedes-Benz trucks and
17,600 Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses and coaches, emphatically demonstrates
the fuel-saving potential of conventional diesel engines. More than 90
percent of these vehicles already meet the EU's Euro 5 exhaust emission
standard coming into force from autumn 2009. BlueTec vehicles consume
between two and five percent less fuel than Euro 3 vehicles, and emit
correspondingly less CO2. At the same time their exhaust gases contain at
least 80 percent fewer particulates and up to 60 percent lower nitrogen
oxide levels. The development work also continues apace where vans are
concerned. The automatic start-stop function, which is available as an
option for the Sprinter, allows significant fuel savings of between five
and eight percent in city traffic and pays for itself within just a few
months.
World market leader for hybrid drive systems in the commercial
vehicle sector
A key role on the road to the drive systems of
tomorrow is played by hybrid technologies, which appear capable of reducing
diesel fuel consumption by up to one third depending on the type of
operation. This is indicated by the experience in the USA and Japan, where
buses and trucks produced by the Daimler brands Orion, Freightliner and
Fuso are in customer operation in large numbers. With around 2,000 Orion
hybrid buses on the roads of North America, more than 500 Freightliner
trucks and about 600 light trucks and Fuso buses, Daimler is the world
market leader for hybrid systems in the commercial vehicle sector.
Including natural-gas-powered Mercedes-Benz trucks, buses and vans in
Europe, the total number of commercial vehicles with alternative drive
concepts delivered to customers for day-to-day operations is well over
10,500.
Continuous expansion of activities
Alternative drive
technologies from Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses are now due to enter
customer operations in further product segments and regions. In North
America, Freightliner will be delivering 1,500 M2 hybrid trucks to
customers over the next two years, and producing hybrid versions of the
legendary school buses by Thomas Built Buses. In Japan the second hybrid
bus generation is already on the market in the form of the Fuso Aero Star
Eco Hybrid. In Germany the first example of the Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec
Hybrid distribution truck has entered pilot operations with customers in
2008 and was recently allocated with the “Environment Engineering
Award” of the German Federal State of Baden-Württemberg In August
2008, Europe's largest fleet trials of hybrid trucks began in London with
ten Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids. In the short-range public transport sector,
the articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid bus entered the
customer trials at the turn of the year 2008/2009. This new vehicle concept
already marks a technological turning-point on the way to the Zero Emission
Vehicle.
Alternative fuels in fleet trials
A lower fuel consumption
for trucks and buses with hybrid drive systems also leads to a reduction in
exhaust pollutants, especially in the case of the much-debated CO2. In
parallel with alternative drive technologies, the use of alternative fuels
is also being researched in order to conserve resources of fossil fuels and
reduce atmospheric pollution. Daimler AG has been actively involved in the
development and testing of biofuels for many years.
Latest example is a joint pilot test project focusing on fuel from sustainable production which was presented by the Daimler AG, Deutsche Post DHL, the energy group OMV, the Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG public transportation company, and the Finnish oil company Neste Oil in the beginning of June 2009. Since mid-2008, 14 series-produced Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses that run exclusively on sustainably produced NExBTL renewable diesel have been in service under everyday conditions in Germany. The vehicles have already covered one million kilometers. The field test shows that the combustion of the alternative diesel fuel from hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in the engines results in significantly reduced emissions of pollutants. For example, emissions of nitrogen oxides decrease up to 15 percent. The overall CO2 balance is also positive: From the sustainable cultivation of palm oil and its processing to the fuel’s use in a vehicle, the CO2 emissions of the fuel used in the pilot test have been reduced by more than 60 percent compared to fossil fuels. A further step are so-called second-generation biofuels : they can be produced from various forms of biomass, have a CO2 reduction potential of up to 90 percent and do not stand in direct competition with plants grown for food production.
Natural gas drive going from strength to strength
Around
2,100 natural-gas-powered Mercedes-Benz buses and municipal vehicles from
the Mercedes-Benz Econic series (CNG/NGT) have been in customer use for the
last eight years. Development is progressing at a rapid pace for natural
gas power: the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter NGT has performed excellently in
customer trials, and also entered series production recently. Around 1,700
of these vehicles are now on the road.
On the road to zero emissions
Thanks to continuous further
development over the years, Daimler diesel engines have become high-tech
power units that will continue to be developed further as the backbone of
commercial-vehicle drive systems for many years to come. They show their
great potential through constantly reduced emissions and increasing energy
yields. Over several development stages, particulate and nitrogen oxide
emissions have been reduced by an average of well over 90 percent since
1990 alone. Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses with the latest BlueTec diesel
technology combine these ecological advances with economic benefits for the
vehicle operator. This is because compared to other emission control
technologies, fuel consumption has been drastically lowered even further,
producing a saving of around 2,000 litres per year for a long-distance
truck, for example. This corresponds to a good five tonnes less CO2 over
the same period for a single long-distance truck.
Compared to other vehicle types and in terms of fuel consumption per 100 km per tonne of cargo, the "one-litre vehicle" has long been a reality in the truck sector. This was demonstrated by a series-production example of the new Mercedes-Benz Actros, which showed its outstanding performance and economy by establishing a world record. In Nardo, southern Italy, a 40-tonne semitrailer combination covered a distance of just under 13,000 kilometres in seven days, with a fuel consumption of only 19.44 litres per 100 km under test conditions – a world record. In the case of a 25-tonne cargo this represents a fuel consumption of only 0.8 litres per 100 km per tonne, and in other words only 20.5 grammes of CO2 emissions per tonne of payload and kilometre – a fraction of that achieved by current passenger cars with hybrid drive. Accordingly the truck has entered the Guinness Book of Records as "the most fuel-efficient 40-tonne truck".
Hybrid drive technology leading to the fuel cell
Until
zero-emission fuel-cell drive systems are economically viable, further
significant advances in fuel economy are only conceivable with the use of
hybrid technologies. Two different drive systems are used in hybrid
vehicles. The energy released during braking is recuperated in the form of
electrical energy, stored in batteries and used to power an electric motor.
Thanks to this additional drive unit, a smaller and lighter diesel engine
can be used to obtain the same overall performance. For trucks Daimler has
decided in favour of the so-called "parallel" hybrid. In this case the
electric motor is integrated into the drive train, and usually contributes
its output in parallel with the diesel engine. The hybrid buses produced by
the Daimler brands Orion, Fuso and Mercedes-Benz employ what is known as
serial hybrid drive. In this case a generator directly connected to the
diesel engine supplies the energy to the electric drive motors. In the
hybrid buses from Fuso and the new Mercedes-Benz hybrid bus all the
peripheral units are also electrically powered, therefore the bus is able
to cover limited stretches under electrical power only, i.e. with zero
emissions. The innovative concept of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec
Hybrid, which features wheel hub motors, marks a technological transition
towards the Zero Emission Vehicle. When the time comes to develop this
future vehicle generation, it is basically only the diesel generator that
will need replacing with fuel cells, as the electric drive components are
already tried and tested.
In the beginning of June 2009 Daimler celebrated the world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid in Vienna. The fuel cell hybrid bus is the first vehicle in Daimler Buses’ new generation of fuel cell buses. It combines the advantages of the diesel-electric Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid, which was unveiled a few months ago, with those of the hydrogen-powered Citaro fuel cell buses, which have delivered impressive performance in fleet tests. An exceptional feature of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid is its outstanding environmental friendlyness. The bus runs without emitting any pollutants and is virtually silent, making it ideal for use in highly congested inner cities and urban areas.
Economy is what counts
Given that the procurement costs for
hybrid vehicles are around one third higher than for conventional diesel
vehicles, economic aspects will be the deciding factor for the acceptance
of alternative drive systems among operators in both the passenger and
goods transport sectors. Thanks to the achievable fuel savings, hybrid
technology has come considerably closer to overall cost-effectiveness over
the vehicle's operating life. At least in the early years, a general
introduction in vehicle fleets will, however, require subsidies, for
example on the part of governments and municipalities. The success of
alternative drive technologies thanks to public subsidies in the USA and
Japan confirms this. Fleet operators in Europe still lack the benefit of
such a decision-making basis as yet. The scheme for the use of hybrid-drive
buses in city traffic announced by the German government is a first
incentive for the necessary rethinking on the part of vehicle
operators.
Focus on safety
Along with environmental protection, the
focus of Daimler AG and its commercial vehicle brands is also on safety,
with the ambitious vision of accident-free driving. The company's
commercial vehicles are known to be innovative leaders where safety is
concerned.
Active Brake Assist: only from Mercedes-Benz and Setra
With
the emergency braking aid Active Brake Assist (ABA), Daimler Buses leads
the field among premium touring coaches with the Mercedes-Benz Travego and
Setra TopClass 400. No other coaches in the world are currently able to
offer this emergency braking aid. If there is an acute danger of a rear-end
collision with a slower-moving vehicle ahead, the patented system
automatically initiates emergency braking after a series of warnings,
thereby having the potential to save lives. Active Brake Assist celebrated
its debut in the Mercedes-Benz Actros three years ago. Mercedes-Benz
continues to be the only manufacturer offering trucks with an emergency
braking system. While this is not always able to prevent accidents, the
automatic initiation of emergency braking when acute danger threatens can
substantially mitigate the consequences.
Around half of all serious truck accidents are preventable
Safety experts are convinced that Active Brake Assist helps to prevent
rear-end collisions, thereby helping to save lives. Along with other safety
systems it has long proved its worth in practice. The positive effects of
safety systems have been shown by a large-scale fleet test, involving 1,000
Mercedes-Benz Actros semitrailer tractors, and the findings from
comprehensive analyses of real accidents. Around half of all serious truck
accidents on motorways are preventable. 50 percent of the trucks in the
test were equipped with a safety package consisting of the lane assistant,
proximity cruise control and stability control. The result was that
compared to conventionally equipped semitrailer tractors, the number of
serious accidents was halved for the vehicles with this safety package. And
in cases where an accident did occur, the financial damage was an average
of 90 percent less severe. These results were based on a monitoring period
of twelve months and a total mileage of 106 million kilometres.
Mercedes-Benz is actively furthering the introduction of safety systems: both for the Actros and the Axor, the company has already put together attractive safety packages that have a noticeably positive effect on the buying decision. At the same time, negotiations with the insurance sector in Germany have led to the first premium discounts for trucks and buses equipped with particularly extensive safety systems.
Daimler leads in the introduction of safety systems
The
ongoing safety initiative by Mercedes-Benz and Setra in Europe already
began in the mid-nineties, with the introduction of the Electronic Braking
System (EBS) and disc brakes all round for all new truck and bus model
series. Up-to-date assistance systems were then gradually introduced for
the trucks, buses and vans – the majority as a market first. The
Electronic Stability Program ( ESP ) has been standard equipment for all
newly launched Mercedes-Benz touring coaches and vans for many years. In
the case of vans, Adaptive ESP even recognises the vehicle's centre of
gravity and therefore the load parameters. The Lane Assistant, DISTRONIC
and stability control are available for the heavy Actros and Axor truck
series. The Mercedes-Benz Travego and Setra TopClass 400 touring coaches
are also available with the Lane Assistant, and they include the Continuous
Braking Limiter which prevents unwanted acceleration on gradients. The
development progress in safety technologies was impressively demonstrated
with the Safety Truck, Safety Coach and Safety Van fleet presented
Europe-wide in 2006. Active safety has a long tradition in the company: in
the early eighties Mercedes-Benz and Setra already led the field when the
anti-lock braking system (ABS) followed by acceleration skid control (ASR)
were introduced. The same applies to the early introduction of driver
training courses and safety training, for even the most sophisticated
technology can only provide assistance – the responsibility continues
to rest with the driver.
Strong emphasis on operating safety
Drivers benefit from the
best possible support during their working day thanks to ergonomically
perfected, driver-oriented cockpits, first-class mirror systems and the
drive train itself. Trucks, buses and vans from Mercedes-Benz and Setra are
traditionally particularly easy to operate. As early as the mid-eighties,
Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer to offer semi-automated and later
fully automated transmissions in its trucks and buses. The standard
features of the new Actros include the fully automated Mercedes PowerShift
2 transmission. The new, automated GO 240-8 PowerShift eight-speed
transmission has been introduced for the premium Mercedes-Benz Travego and
Setra TopClass 400 touring coaches as the only specialist bus transmission
in this class in the previous year. The company’s commercial vehicle
brands are also the leaders in passive safety. Mercedes-Benz conducted
rollover tests on buses and coaches in the 1950s, for example. The
protection of other road users also plays a major role in all these
developments. A collision between a passenger car and a commercial vehicle
must not be wholly at the expense of the car.
Unique: the Front Collision Guard for touring coaches
The
Front Collision Guard (FCG) shows how the two can be combined. This new and
unique passive safety system for the protection of the driver and
co-driver/courier during a frontal collision is included as standard in the
new-generation Mercedes-Benz Travego and Setra TopClass 400 touring
coaches. This complex, patented technology begins with a transverse section
which acts as an underride guard. The structure behind this section
consists of impact-absorbing elements that dissipate energy in a controlled
manner in the event of a collision. In addition, the cockpit including the
steering, pedal cluster and seat is now mounted on a solid subframe which
can move to the rear as a complete unit during a frontal impact, thereby
increasing the space for the driver by several crucial centimetres. The
developers not only established the effects of the Front Collision Guard on
a calculatory basis, but also verified them during crash tests to be
sure.
Safety knows no boundaries
Although safety levels can vary
greatly in the individual markets and regions, the development of new
safety systems by Daimler AG’s commercial vehicle brands knows no
national frontiers. In the early summer of 2008 Fuso presented a new Safety
Truck based on its Super Great heavy-duty truck, for example.