The theme this fall seems to be ‘Green’ – which stands for keeping the air and environment clean. When it comes to working hard to achieve that goal no one does it like Mercedes-Benz. The automaker created a global initiative that is focused on everyone using hybrid technology to help lower the amount of fuel and emissions that is consumed by commercial vehicles.
Daimler said the initiative encompasses all of the globally networked research and development activities in the area of alternative drives and fuels for all of the brands at Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses. “Hybrid technology plays a key role in these vehicles, as it can reduce diesel consumption by up to 30%,” Daimler said in a statement.
Speaking at the sidelines of a press conference in Stuttgart, head of Daimler Trucks Andreas Renschler said the global market for commercial vehicles is expected to rise by 50% over the next ten years, powered mainly by growing demand in Brazil, Russia, India and China. Renschler confirmed that he remains optimistic for the overall truck market 2008.
The company’s customers will be in charge of testing the Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid and Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid at the beginning of 2008. European customers will conduct fleet tests with 10 Canter Eco Hybrids from 2008 onward, it added. “Daimler plans to employ alternative drive systems in additional vehicle models and regions, focusing primarily on hybrids. In North America, Freightliner will manufacture 1,500 M2 hybrid trucks over the next three years and also produce a hybrid version of a Thomas Built school bus,” the company said in the statement.
In Europe, the first Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrids will be delivered to customers in Germany, France and the Czech Republic in 2008. Daimler said it is investigating the possibility of using alternative fuels in order to preserve fossil sources of energy. According to Daimler, the most promising fuels from renewable resources are vegetable oil-derived hydrated fuels and BTL, or biomass to liquid, fuels.
Whether or not people will be able to afford hybrids is the question that Mercedes is looking into right now. Right now they cost about a third more than diesel vehicles. Mercedes is contemplating creating incentives over the next few years that will help people to invest in these ‘green’ vehicles.
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