Environmental Panorama

Daimler has achieved a decisive breakthrough in the field of battery technology. It is the world’s first manufacturer to succeed in adapting lithium-ion battery technology to the demanding requirements of automotive applications. The technology has been used primarily in consumer electronics up until now. The new batteries will be used in a production car for the first time in 2009, when they will be installed in the S 400 BlueTEC HYBRID. Daimler currently holds 25 patents that have led to this breakthrough for key lithium-ion technology. “This has given us a groundbreaking technology that will play a decisive role in the future success of the automotive industry,” says Thomas Weber, Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “Our success is due to our intensive research efforts, which we have been conducting in this area since 1992.”

Since November 2007, Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses equipped with BLUETEC 5 technology have borne the “Blue Angel” seal of quality issued by the RAL e.V. (German Institute for Quality Assurance and Product Labelling) and Germany’s Ministry for the Environment. Among other things, vehicles that receive the Blue Angel environmental label must have the following: engine exhaust gas emissions that meet Euro 5 requirements; designation as an “Enhanced Environmentally Friendly Vehicle” (EEV); low internal and external noise emissions; materials that don’t damage the ozone layer; coolants that display the lowest possible greenhouse gas potential; and paints that are not only free of heavy metals but whose solvent concentrations are also below 130 g/m2. This latter is the case for Mercedes-Benz buses painted in a single colour, which can then be further decorated with transparencies. The Blue Angel certificate is issued for products and services that have a particularly low impact on the environment. It was created in 1977 by the environmental ministers of the German states to promote environmentally friendly developments and draw attention to alternatives to conventional products that pollute the environment.

Since the market introduction of the innovative BLUETEC exhaust gas aftertreatment system, more than 150,000 Mercedes-Benz trucks equipped with BLUETEC have now been delivered to customers. Hubertus Troska, head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Europe/Latin America, believes BLUETEC is proving to be an “efficient fuel-savings program” — an increasingly important feature in times of rising fuel prices and discussions on climate change. BLUETEC combines economic and environmental benefits in a unique way. For example, the exhaust gas of Mercedes-Benz trucks equipped with BLUETEC technology contains around 80 percent fewer particle emissions and 60 percent less NOX. Commercial vehicles equipped with BLUETEC also consume 2 to 5 percent less fuel on average, which adds up to savings of around 1,500 to 2,000 liters (400 to 500 gallons) of diesel per year, assuming an annual driving distance of 150,000 km 240,000 miles for long-haulage trucks.

Alongside its C-Class sedan sister model, the new C-Class station wagon recently received an environmental certificate from the TÜV Süd inspection and testing services company. The certificate confirms that both models conform to the ISO 14062 standard for environmentally compatible development. The certification process for the new station wagon involved drawing up a complete environmental balance sheet for the model. The “Design for Environment” concept defined by ISO 14062 has served as a guiding principle in Mercedes-Benz passenger car development for 12 years now. Following in the footsteps of the S-Class unveiled in 2005 and the C-Class sedan in 2007, the new C-Class station wagon is now the third Mercedes-Benz production car whose environmentally friendly development process has received ISO certification.

With its 50.1 percent stake, Daimler AG has become the majority shareholder in the newly founded company “Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation” (AFCC), which focuses on fuel cell applications in the automotive sector. The company was established in order to further expand the Group’s global lead in this field in cooperation with Ford Motor Company and Ballard Power Systems. With numerous patents and 150 highly specialized employees, Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation is the technology leader when it comes to fuel cell stacks for automobiles. The new company will serve as a think tank for the successful further development of automotive fuel cell technology and will closely cooperate with the research and development departments of the automakers involved. “At Daimler, we have identified the key technologies for zero-emission mobility, and we invest specifically in expanding our expertise in these fields,” says Thomas Weber, Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “Our majority stake in Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation marks the next logical step in this direction.”

Archer -Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Bayer CropScience AG, and Daimler AG have agreed to jointly explore the potential for using the jatropha plant (jatropha curcas L.) in the biodiesel industry. The partners believe the tropical plant from the euphorbia family offers a promising alternative raw material for the production of biodiesel, as biodiesel derived from jatropha nuts has properties similar to those of biofuels obtained from oilseed. Jatropha biodiesel also has a positive CO2 balance, which means it can contribute to climate protection. “Alternative fuels are an integral element of our road map to sustainable mobility,” says Herbert Kohler, Vice President Group Research and Advanced Engineering Vehicle and Powertrain, and Chief Environmental Officer of the Daimler Group. “Our research activities over the last few years have -proven, for example, that jatropha biodiesel can be produced at a quality very similar to that of biodiesel from rapeseed. Now, the time has come to evaluate the commercial potential of the jatropha fuel.”