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.

RENNTECH 777 20th Anniversary, or: Horsepower Wars really Really REALLY Not Over

Earlier this week, AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg announced that “the horsepower war is over.” If this sounds familiar, it’s because AMG issued a similar press release LAST JANUARY.

“Last year, it was a coincidence that we were releasing a new, 695 hp performance package for the 65 series AMG cars at around the same time. We sent out a press release that said ‘HP War Not Over’,” recalls Hartmut Feyhl, president of RENNTECH and four-star General of the horsepower wars. “This year it is the same timing again, and we have something much more extreme to announce for our 20th Anniversary.”

Feyhl founded RENNTECH in 1989, and the company has since established itself as one of the world’s premier tuning firms and the foremost authority on Mercedes-Benz performance tuning. 2009 marks the company’s 20th year in business, and the company intends to celebrate by releasing a small number of extreme, limited edition performance vehicles, beginning with the 777 hp, RENNTECH 777 shown here.

“This 777 concept is really an all-new car that makes use of the advanced carbon fiber chassis of the SLR McLaren. It can be described as a street-legal track car, or something closer to what the enthusiasts were hoping for from the SLR, originally – which is more a successor to the McLaren F1.”

RENNTECH heavily revised the SLR McLaren bodywork and aero package using some of the same technology the company used to develop the the GLK Hybrid Rally Racer for Mercedes-Benz, including advanced CFD software to develop the aerodynamics for improved downforce. Even with the big wing, splitters, and skirts, a top speed in excess of 210 mph is well within reach for the 777.

The 777 is much more than lightweight bodywork, however. The 5.5 L supercharged “Kompressor” v8 engine is heavily revised, with internal and external performance upgrades and a significantly upgraded cooling system.

Getting that power to the ground is the job of a fully redesigned suspension and driveline, with a heavily reinforced transmission sending power to RENNTECH’s revolutionary new limited-slip differential. Built for RENNTECH by Japanese supplier OS Giken, the recently-released differential allows for 100% locking between the drive wheels for unsurpassed mid-corner traction. Aggressive Nitto NT-05 ultra-high performance tires wrapped around extremely lightweight, 1 pc. center-locking wheels round out the street -legal handling package.

“The 777 will be a very special car,” explains Hartmut. “The first example is being built now, and will be ready this Spring. We intend to build a few different extreme vehicles like this for our 20th anniversary, with each one being strictly limited to 20 units. They are all very exciting projects, and we will be announcing them throughout the year, as they approach completion.”

Contact RENNTECH for information and RENNTECH 777 SLR McLaren package pricing.