This huge leap in performance is due (in part) to the OM651′s 500 Nm of torque, which is more than twice as potent as the most powerful W 201-series model (the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II, built for DTM homologation rules). Another interesting fact is the OM651 engine produces 72 hp more than the OM 601 engine of 1988, while consuming 2.4 liters/100km less. Compared to the Mercedes 190 D, the C 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY is 385 kilograms heavier but boasts more interior space, a longer wheelbase, the latest luxury items, enhanced safety features, and improved aerodynamics.

Zero Emission Road Warrior: Daimler’s A-Class F-CELL Concludes Journey at Hydrogen Road Tour 09

- 60 A-Class F-CELL in operation worldwide – 30 in U.S. operation

- Successful trials underline viability of technology

- B-Class F-CELL to be produced in small series at the end of this year

Daimler’s A-Class F-CELL hydrogen powered vehicle caps a successful five-year journey of road trials in the U.S. with its participation in the Hydrogen Road Tour 09 starting today at Chula Vista, California. The recently converted A-Class F-CELL “plus” with 700 bar technology will participate in the tour along with hydrogen-powered vehicles from other automakers. This new 700 bar technology extends the range in the current vehicle generation by about 70 percent.

The nine day road trip will cover over 1,800 miles and stop in 28 communities before arriving in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 3. The tour is showcasing the progress of hydrogen programs in the U.S. and is organized by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), Powertech Labs, the National Hydrogen Association and the U.S. Fuel Cell Council.

A fleet of 30 A-Class F-CELL vehicles has been in daily use on public roads in the U.S. since 2004. The program includes fleet and infrastructure trials supported by the states of California and Michigan. After the tour, the A-Class F-CELL will be passing on the baton to the next generation of fuel cell vehicles: The B-Class F-CELL, the first fuel cell vehicle produced in a small volume series, but under full series development processes. The A-Class F-CELL vehicles which were deployed with customers from governmental agencies, universities and utility companies, received high marks from their users for their drivability, great acceleration, and zero tailpipe emissions.

“We are excited about the positive reception of fuel cell technology in California and across the U.S.,” said Dr. Christian Mohrdieck, Director of Fuel Cell & Battery Drive Development at Daimler. “It is an extraordinary pleasure to me that our trial partners in government and in the private sector consider the A-Class F-CELL a living proof of the viability of hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. They are enthusiastically supporting the plea for funding and creating the much needed infrastructure.”

Fuel cell technology is key to emission-free driving in the future, as it is the only emission-free technology equally suited for both short and long distance mobility. Bringing fuel cell technology to market requires efficient cooperation between political decision-makers, the oil industry, the energy sector, and other potential investors. The production of hydrogen from renewable sources and the establishment of a suitable hydrogen supply infrastructure are crucial to continue the advancement of this technology. Therefore, Daimler is actively engaging in dialogue and technical cooperation with industrial, governmental and policy stakeholders to foster the partnering and solicit support. The company is an active and founding member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership and is working with the Department of Energy on a technology validation project.

Only with further cooperation, standardization and the implementation of a comprehensive infrastructure it will be possible to pave the road to emission-free driving. Daimler underlines its commitment to environmental responsibility and will release the first near-serially produced fuel cell vehicles to customers as early as 2010. The company expects the marketability as early as 2015.

Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL

The B-Class F-CELL is a Compact Sports Tourer which will be introduced to customers by the end of 2009 and is far more powerful and efficient than the A-Class F-CELL. Based on the optimized more compact fuel cell system presented by Mercedes-Benz in its F 600 HYGENIUS research vehicle in 2005, the newly designed stack module is around 40 percent smaller, but develops 30 percent more power output and cuts fuel consumption by 16 percent. The system also has favorable cold-starting ability. The B-Class F-CELL will boast an operating range of about 250 miles per tank filling.

Fuel Cell Pioneer

A pioneer in fuel cell technology, Daimler’s first drive concept went public in 1994 with the introduction of Necar 1, which was followed by 20 additional prototypes. With the introduction of the A-Class F-CELL in 2003, Daimler presented the world’s first pre-production series vehicle. Today, Daimler operates the largest fuel cell fleet with over 100 vehicles in service worldwide: Concept vehicles, passenger cars, vans, and Citaro city buses are undergoing trials with customers in everyday operation. In 2007 an F-CELL A-Class reached 100,000 miles and 2,500 operating hours without stack repair or replacement. With some 300,000 emission-free miles covered by this fuel cell fleet, Daimler has more data, expertise and experience at its disposal than any other manufacturer. Insights gained through these trials will flow directly to the ongoing research and development work and help to continue the optimization of this drive system, a strong proof of Daimler’s commitment to innovative leadership on the road to a new era of mobility: sustainable, high-performing, efficient and emissions-free.

The vehicle was taken on a similar run as one of the original Mercedes Carriage type roadsters back in the late 1800′s. This hydrogen/electric vehicle receives an output of 1.2 kW, the F-CELL Roadster is capable of a top speed of 25 km/h with an operating range of up to 350 km. Check out full details in the Mercedes Press Release below.

Following the trail of Bertha Benz: F-CELL Roadster on the historic route of Bertha Benz

* Retracing the first long-distance journey in automobile history
* Chemist´s shop in Wiesloch as aiming point

The F-CELL Roadster built by apprentices at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen covered a section of the historic route taken by Bertha Benz on the past weekend. Starting in Mannheim, the fuel cell powered car was driven via Ladenburg and Heidelberg. The symbolic passing of the finish line was at the chemist’s shop in Wiesloch, where Bertha Benz stopped to refuel during the first long-distance journey in automobile history in 1888.

“This trip by the F-CELL Roadster is symbolic of the current change taking place in automobile engineering”, says Dr. Thomas Weber, the member of the Daimler AG Executive Board responsible for corporate research and development at Mercedes-Benz Cars. “At that time Bertha Benz was not yet able to purchase the petrol she needed at a filling station, and for emission-free mobility we are also dependent on the widespread distribution of fuels for the future – electric power and hydrogen. But just as Bertha Benz refused to be discouraged by inconveniences in her day, we are just as determined to help ensure that these technologies achieve their breakthrough.”

Before the end of this year, the company will commence small-series production of the B-Class with a fuel cell drive system. At the end of 2009 the first examples of the smart fortwo electric drive model will also leave the production line to enter service in the “e-mobility Berlin” project early next year.

The F-CELL Roadster

For around one year, more than 150 apprentices and sandwich course students worked on the design, development, assembly and completion of the F- CELL Roadster. The work also involved promising young personnel from the fields of vehicle mechatronics, model-building, electronics, coating technology and production mechanics, as well as product design and interior equipment. The main aim of the project was to integrate the topic of alternative drive systems into the training content in a practical manner.

In a unique way, the vehicle links the very latest technologies with the history of automobile engineering. As a feature reminiscent of the Benz Patent Motor Wagon of 1886, the car is equipped with large, spoked wheels. The F-CELL Roadster also has styling features from a wide range of automotive eras. These include carbon-fibre seat bases with hand-stitched leather upholstery and a striking glass-fibre front end that takes its lead from Formula 1 racing cars.

The car is steered using drive-by-wire technology, a conventional steering wheel giving way to a joystick. It is powered by an emission-free fuel cell system installed in the rear. With an output of 1.2 kW, the F-CELL Roadster is capable of a top speed of 25 km/h with an operating range of up to 350 km.

First long-distance journey in automobile history

In August 1888, Bertha Benz and her two sons made a journey from Mannheim to Pforzheim in the Patent Motor Wagon designed by her husband Carl Benz, returning to Mannheim a few days later. This first long-distance journey in the history of the automobile is acknowledged as a pioneering event. The journey was practically problem-free, with just a few small technical hitches that could all be remedied. The supply of “Ligroin”, as petrol was called at the time, gave cause for concern, however, as the 4.5-litre supply in the carburettor – there was no petrol tank as yet – was rapidly dwindling. Ligroin could be purchased from pharmacies in those days, and the town pharmacy in Wiesloch was able to help out. The shop still exists today, and is proud to inform visitors that it was the world’s first filling station.

Buses made by Mercedes-Benz are headed straight for a clean future: This June, Mercedes-Benz Buses will present the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid model, the brand’s first fuel-cell hybrid bus. The regular-service city bus marks yet another important milestone on the road to zero-emission mobility and improved resource conservation within the framework of Daimler’s “Shaping Future Transportation” global initiative.

Linear development from NEBUS to the Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid

Daimler Buses has been proceeding in a linear fashion down this road, which began in 1997 with the NEBUS research vehicle – the world’s first bus to be equipped with a fuel-cell drive system. Daimler then moved ahead with the fuel cell Citaro, the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid equipped with a diesel-electric hybrid drive system, and now the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid for 2009.

The Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid isn’t a futuristic study – it is already a reality, which is why Mercedes-Benz Buses will soon be extensively monitoring its performance in normal operations within the framework of a major fleet test in several European cities. This test series will proceed along the lines of the successful CUTE fleet test conducted by the European Union between 2003 und 2006. Since 2003, a total of 36 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses equipped with fuel cell drives have performed outstandingly at 12 public transport agencies on three continents as part of the CUTE test, its HyFLEET:CUTE follow-up project, and other related testing programs. The buses were driven a combined total of more than two million kilometers in a total of approximately 135,000 hours of operation. Their availability – between 90 and 95 percent – impressively demonstrated the environmentally friendly fuel-cell drive’s suitability for everyday use in urban regular-service buses.

Components from the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid

The new Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid draws upon the experience gained with the outstanding performance of the aforementioned 36 fuel cell buses. CUTE focused on the suitability of the fuel cell drive, however. The Citaro’s diesel engine was therefore replaced by a fuel cell drive in order to ensure the highest possible level of stability for the bus. The associated compromises did not have to be made with the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid, since its drive system technology is a completely new development that also utilizes key elements of the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid. Shared components here include axles fitted with electric hub motors, lithium-ion batteries to store energy, and all electrically powered ancillary components.

The Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid is based on the proven platform for the top-selling Mercedes-Benz Citaro city bus. The new model’s fuel cells are powered by hydrogen, whereby hydrogen consumption in the Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid will be much lower than in previous fuel cell buses, thanks to a hybrid drive with a sophisticated drive system control unit. The model thus offers major benefits in terms of resource conservation and reduction of emissions associated with producing the required hydrogen.

Completely exhaust-free and virtually silent in the city

An exceptional feature of the Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid is its outstanding environmental friendliness in normal operations. The bus emits absolutely no pollutants while in motion, and is also virtually silent. This makes it particularly ideal for use in highly congested inner cities and metropolitan areas. The Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid is thus the next logical step on the path to zero-emission public transport, which Daimler had already announced it would take, and it will thus play a major role in future mobility systems.

Close cooperation between Bus and Passenger Car Development

The innovative bus model also underscores Mercedes-Benz’ and Daimler Buses’ leadership in drive system technologies. The engineers who developed the fuel-cell hybrid bus were able to call upon the Group’s tremendous expertise in the field of alternative drive systems. The fuel cell systems used, for example, are identical to those installed in the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL passenger car, for which small-lot production will begin later this year. Several components were also borrowed from other innovative models, with developers mutually benefiting from their respective test results. The new Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid will celebrate its premiere at the beginning of June at the UITP World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition in Vienna.