Today, Daimler Chrysler announced their fuel cell fleet has hit the one million mile mark, saving an estimated 50,000 gallons of gas and countless numbers of innocent forest creatures along the way.

In an effort to "reduce our nation's dependency on oil," Daimler Chrysler has already invested $1 billion in fuel cell vehicle research. Currently there are over 100 Daimler Chrysler fuel cell vehicles operating worldwide, including Mercedes-Benz F-Cell passenger cars, Dodge Sprinter medium-duty vans, and Citaro transportation buses. Daimler Chrysler plans to have more than 30 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the United States by the end of 2005.

Take that all you gas-guzzling Chevy Suburban fanatics.

The full press release follows.


OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FOLLOWS


DaimlerChrysler Fuel Cell Vehicles Save Over 50,000 Gallons of Fuel and Hit One Million Mile Marker


Auburn Hills, Mich., Sep 27, 2005

Showing leadership in fuel cell technology, DaimlerChrysler announced that the company has hit the one million mile mark on fuel cell vehicles. The combined mileage of more than 100 fuel cell vehicles operating worldwide include Mercedes-Benz F-Cell passenger cars, Dodge Sprinter medium-duty fuel cell powered vans and Citaro fuel cell powered transportation buses. More than 30 DaimlerChrysler hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be placed in the United States by the end of 2005. No other manufacturer even comes close.

The average petroleum powered vehicle in the US has a fuel economy of about 20 miles per gallon. Using that as a base, the operation of these hydrogen fuel cell vehicles worldwide reduced conventional gasoline and diesel consumption by more than 50,000 gallons with zero emissions.

The aggressive $1 billion investment in fuel cell vehicle research that DaimlerChrysler has committed will continue to keep the company on the cutting edge of fuel cell technology.

"Hydrogen has the potential to become an important energy source in the future", said Mark Chernoby, Vice President Advance Vehicle Engineering, Chrysler Group. "This marks another milestone in DaimlerChrysler's journey to the long term goals of zero emission transportation and to reducing our nation's dependency on foreign oil."

Through programs such as the Department of Energy (DOE) Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project, DaimlerChrysler will place more fuel cell vehicles in the hands of customers, who will provide valuable feedback about performance under different conditions. DaimlerChrysler is testing over 100 fuel cell vehicles under varying weather, traffic conditions and driving styles in different locations worldwide. This experience will benefit the development of the fuel cell automobile and how it will be refueled. BP is the energy partner of DaimlerChrysler in the project. BP recently opened a hydrogen refueling station in Southfield, Michigan, with DTE Energy Company. Another station was opened in a cooperative effort between BP and Next Energy in Detroit Michigan.

Fuel cells release energy from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen with a catalyst. This clean technology operates to a high level of efficiency and is true zero emission. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles emit only pure water vapor as exhaust. DaimlerChrysler has been involved in this technology for more than 10 years and works in partnership with Ballard Power Systems to further develop the technology. Fuel cell vehicles are part of DaimlerChrysler's advanced propulsion technology umbrella, which also includes exceptionally efficient gasoline engines, advanced diesels, alternative fuels and hybrid powertrain systems.

Copyright © 2005, Daimler Chrysler AG