Stuttgart ? At the presentation of the Baden-W?rttemberg Environmental Technology Award yesterday evening, Baden-W?rttemberg?s Environment Minister Tanja G?nner presented the first prize in the ?Emissions Reduction, Treatment and Sequestration? category to Georg Weiberg, Head of Truck Product Engineering at Daimler. The award, which was presented this year for the first time, honors outstanding environmental technologies from the state of Baden-W?rttemberg that make a major contribution toward increasing resource efficiency and reducing strain on the environment.
?I?m very proud that we received this award,? said Weiberg yesterday. ?It shows that we at Daimler Trucks are on the right track toward achieving zero-emission transportation.
Not even the current global recession will prevent us from moving forward on this path, and we will continue to invest in alternative drive systems and technologies. We?re convinced that it?s the right course to take.?
Hybrid drives, and thus electric mobility, allow commercial vehicles to transport goods into specially designated low-emission zones. The award-winning 12-ton Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid truck is a medium-duty diesel-electric hybrid vehicle. The truck has been undergoing technology trials since the beginning of the year at Deutsche Post DHL. The trials involve day-to-day transport operations in cities and short-distance delivery runs. Daimler Trucks developed the innovative hybrid powertrain and the vehicle?s overall control concept to ensure that the customer enjoys optimum vehicle operation. A supplier company provides the electric motor that is integrated into the powertrain.
The vehicle?s hybrid concept allows the truck to achieve potential fuel savings and CO2 emission reductions of up to 20 percent over the long term, compared to trucks with conventional propulsion. In addition to generating fuel savings, the electric driving boost of hybrid technology when starting or braking helps to significantly reduce noise and improve air quality in urban areas.
?The results of the prototype trials will be used to further develop the product, enabling us to actively support the market launch planned for 2010. Until then, we will continue to optimize the level of the innovative drive technology?s development as well as its ease-of-maintenance and costs,? said Weiberg. Daimler Trucks? long-term development goal is to achieve zero-emission vehicle operation. Combined diesel-electric drive systems are a key element in the advance of long-term technology development toward creation of a zero-emission vehicle.
As part of Daimler Trucks? Shaping Future Transportation initiative, the testing of the 12-ton Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid prototype truck in a small customer fleet is helping the Group to achieve its medium and long-term environmental goals.
