The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class: Technology

BlueEFFICIENCY is the new trademark for particularly economical and  
environmentally compatible Mercedes passenger cars. Three models bear  
the BlueEFFICIENCY emblem in the new-generation B-Class: the high- 
volume four-cylinder models B 150 and B 170 with the ECO start/stop  
function and the new B 170 NGT with its bi-fuel petrol/natural gas  
drive. Thanks to the automatic ECO start/stop function, the petrol  
models consume up to nine percent less fuel than comparable models  
without this feature. The NGT variant of the B-Class is happy with  
just 4.9 kilograms of natural gas per 100 kilometres (NEDC), and  
emits 17 percent less carbon dioxide than the petrol-powered B 170.

Mercedes-Benz has updated the other model variants in the B-Class in  
many detailed respects as well, also improving fuel consumption by up  
to seven percent versus the preceding models.

During the design and development of their BlueEFFICIENCY measures,  
the Mercedes specialists were primarily guided by the actual user  
behaviour of Mercedes customers as identified by a large-scale  
practical analysis. These data covering the day-to-day operating  
conditions and profiles of Mercedes models confirmed that the B-Class  
is predominantly used for short and medium-distance journeys with  
frequent traffic light stops, stop-and-go traffic and tailbacks.  
Accordingly Mercedes-Benz has developed a technology which offers  
significant fuel consumption advantages in these traffic situations:  
the ECO start/stop function (optionally available from autumn 2008).

The ECO start/stop function lowers fuel consumption and exhaust  
emissions by automatically switching off the engine during idling  
phases. The driver is informed by a special display in the instrument  
cluster if and when the conditions for engine switch-off are met.  
When travelling at low speed, he only needs to shift the manual  
transmission to neutral and apply the brakes. The engine is then  
switched off, and the ECO display appears in the instrument cluster.