Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell Popular with Celebrities

The B-Class F‑CELL combines emissions-free mobility producing no emissions, but only pure water

An increasing number of Hollywood stars are opting for eco-friendly mobility from Mercedes-Benz. Actress Diane Kruger is one of more than 35 environmental enthusiasts and early adopters in California who are among the first to drive the locally emissions-free B-Class F-CELL vehicle. This electric vehicle with fuel cells from Mercedes-Benz generates electricity on board in a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. With a range of around 400 km and short refuelling times, the B-Class F‑CELL combines locally emissions-free mobility with suitability for long journeys and impressive performance. The vehicle produces no emissions, but only pure water.

“I’m excited to be driving the F-CELL. It’s environmentally conscious, fun to drive and gets lots of attention on the streets”, says Diane Kruger. “I can travel around 400 kilometres on a full tank and it’s easy to refuel.” The B-Class F-CELL fuel tank can be filled in just three minutes. It develops 100 kW (136 hp), with fuel consumption equivalent to just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres.

As well as the B-Class F-CELL, Mercedes-Benz has a selection of other vehicles with alternative drive systems, ranging from clean BlueTEC diesel models to hybrid vehicles such as the S 400 HYBRID, the vehicle of choice for Hollywood’s film makers and acting community. The S 400 HYBRID features a convenient start/stop function, which switches off the petrol engine if the car slows to below 15 km/h, for example when stopping at traffic lights. Furthermore, in 2012, Mercedes-Benz will launch the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID on the European market, and the E 400 HYBRID on the American market.

Other Hollywood stars who have chosen Mercedes-Benz vehicles for eco‑friendly mobility include Golden Globe winner Michelle Williams, Sofia Vergara, Bryan Cranston, 2011 Oscar winner Natalie Portman, Courteney Cox, Renée Zellweger, Katharine McPhee, Serena Williams and Nick Swisher.

Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell Becomes Invisible

The Mercedes-Benz new F-Cell B-Class is invisible to the environment with 0.0 emissions and is now Invisible to the eye

Mercedes-Benz claims that its new F-Cell B-Class is invisible to the environment with 0.0 emissions.  To drive this idea home, Mercedes fitted the Fuel Cell powered B-Class with a LED panel on one side and a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera on the other, with the camera continuously shooting live video of its surroundings and projecting it instantly on the F-Cell’s screen.  The result:  a nearly invisible Mercedes F-Cell B-Class.

The technology isn’t perfect, but impressive none-the-less, especially at night.  Take the minute and a half and watch the video below.

Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL Helps to Guide Aircraft

Stuttgart is the first German airport to use a fuel cell-powered electric car as a "follow me" vehicle

In Stuttgart, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL helps to guide aircraft around the runways. With an output of 136 hp and a top speed of 105 mph, it is locally emission-free and thus a true leader in its field, and not only of the planes on the airport. At the hydrogen filling station that was opened on the airport campus in 2009, the “follow me” vehicle can be refuelled with hydrogen in less than three minutes, giving it a range of around 400 kilometres. “So, as you can see, we are keeping up with the latest technological developments in ground-based drive systems”, commented Walter Schoefer, Managing Director of the company operating the airport, Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH.

The everyday viability and technical maturity of fuel cell-powered electric vehicles was put to the test by Mercedes-Benz only recently in its F-CELL World Drive. Between late January and early June, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F‑CELL vehicles drove around the world – covering a distance of more than 30,000 kilometres across four continents and through 14 countries. With this circumnavigation of the globe, Daimler was also able to draw attention to the need for a broad-based hydrogen infrastructure. As a catalyst for this process, the company will therefore be working with Linde AG to establish an initial 20 hydrogen refuelling stations.

The B-Class F-CELL: the latest generation of fuel cell-powered electric vehicles

At the heart of the B-Class F‑CELL is the new generation of a fuel cell-powered electric drive system, which is compact, powerful, safe and absolutely practical for everyday use. The fuel cell generates the electricity needed for driving through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen – within the vehicle itself. With a range of around 400 kilometres and fast refuelling times, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL combines locally emission-free mobility with complete viability over long distances and impressive performance. In the process it produces no pollutant emissions whatsoever, just pure water. The 100 kW/136 hp electric motor in the current B‑Class F-CELL gives it effortless torque of 290 Nm right from the very first turn of the key, ensuring fun at the wheel and driving dynamics on a par with those of a 2.0-litre petrol engine. And with all this, the B-Class F-CELL achieves the equivalent of an NEDC consumption figure (New European Drive Cycle) of 3.3 litres of fuel (diesel equivalent) per 100 kilometres.

When the brakes are applied, or even as soon as the driver takes his or her foot off the accelerator, the electric motor uses a recuperation process to convert kinetic energy into electric energy, which is then stored in the battery. During manoeuvring or over short distances the electric drive motor takes its power from the battery. Should the capacity of the energy accumulator prove insufficient, the fuel cell is automatically activated. The decision as to whether the electricity is taken from the lithium-ion battery, the fuel cell or from a combination of both is determined by the intelligent drive management system according to what is most efficient and most beneficial to the customer.

Daimler and The Linde Group Partner to Build Fuel-Cell Infrastructure

The initiative that Linde and Daimler are embarking upon is set to more than triple the number of public hydrogen refuelling points

Daimler and The Linde Group, a technology company, announced Wednesday that they are moving forward with the development of an infrastructure for hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles. The two companies plan to construct an additional 20 hydrogen filling stations in Germany over the next three years, thereby ensuring a supply of hydrogen produced purely from renewable resources for the steadily increasing number of fuel-cell vehicles on the roads. The initiative links in with the existing H2 Mobility and Clean Energy Partnership infrastructure projects, which are being subsidised by the National Innovation Programme for hydrogen and fuel-cell technology (NIP). This places Germany at the international forefront of hydrogen infrastructure development.

The initiative that Linde and Daimler are embarking upon involves investment running into the tens of millions, and is set to more than triple the number of public hydrogen refuelling points in Germany. The new stations will be located in the current hydrogen centres of Stuttgart, Berlin and Hamburg as well as along two new continuous north-south and east-west axes. The aim is to use existing sites belonging to different petroleum companies that are strategically located in the traffic network. This will make it possible to drive anywhere in Germany with a fuel-cell-powered vehicle for the first time. One of the focal points for the infrastructure’s extension will be in Baden-Württemberg, where, 125 years after the invention of the motor car, the stage is being set for its reinvention.

“Together with the fuel cell, hydrogen is set to be of fundamental importance to the expansion of electromobility,” explained Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle, Chief Executive Officer of Linde AG. “We are delighted to be able to play such an instrumental role in shaping this development together with Daimler. We see ourselves as providing an impetus for existing initiatives, such as H2 Mobility and the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP), and wish to support the commercialisation of hydrogen vehicles as best we can. By systematically developing hydrogen technology, Germany can assume a pioneering role in this field and establish itself as the industry leader as we move towards emission-free mobility.”

“The fuel cell represents a decisive step forward for electromobility, as it enables zero-emission driving with high ranges and short refuelling times – and not just for passenger cars, but for commercial vehicles too. In partnership with Linde, we are now taking the next step by getting things going on the infrastructure side. 20 new hydrogen filling stations will give the market a major stimulus,” remarked Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars at the finish of the Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in Stuttgart. Having started off from Stuttgart at the end of January, the first circumnavigation of the globe in fuel-cell vehicles took in four continents and 14 countries. Each of the vehicles involved covered over 30,000 kilometres. Linde accompanied the F-CELL World Drive as the exclusive hydrogen partner, providing the zero-emission vehicles with a mobile supply of hydrogen for the duration of the tour.

Construction and commissioning of the new filling stations will already start in 2012. Other partners from the petroleum, power supply or automotive industries, for instance, are welcome to become involved in the joint initiative that has been set up by Daimler and Linde.

Background: the infrastructure of hydrogen filling stations in Germany

The successful introduction of fuel-cell vehicles depends on the development of a public hydrogen supply infrastructure. The first centres have already sprung up in large metropolitan areas, such as Berlin and Hamburg. There are nearly 30 hydrogen refuelling points in Germany at the current time, seven of which are integrated into a public filling station facility. This means that Germany clearly leads the way in Europe. To begin with, just five to ten filling stations are sufficient for conveniently servicing the requirements of a large city. Joining up these urban centres – for example Berlin with Hamburg, Stuttgart with Munich – by means of corridors along the arterial roads between them is a major step forward towards the establishment of a nationwide public H2 infrastructure.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive Returns to Stuttgart

After 70 days of driving and more than 18,000 miles, the B-Class F-Cell's have circled the globe and returned home to Stuttgart

After 70 days of driving and more than 18,000 miles, the B-Class F-Cell’s have circled the globe and returned home to Stuttgart becoming the first round-the-world drive with fuel-cell vehicles.  The three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles with zero local emissions drivelines crossed the finish line on June 1, 2011 in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The hydrogen-powered B-Classes and their support vehicles set off from Stuttgart at the end of January on the occasion of the official 125th birthday of the automobile, and on their way have crossed through 14 countries on four continents.

“With the F-CELL World Drive we have shown, that the time for electric vehicles with fuel cell has come. Now the development of the infrastructure has to pick up speed,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “For only an adequate number of hydrogen fueling stations enables car drivers to benefit from the advantages of this technology: high range, short refueling times, zero emissions.

Hydrogen infrastructure challenge

Within the scope of the F-CELL World Drive, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL was functioning as an ambassador for a new, zero-emissions auto-mobility of the future. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz was lobbying extensively for the establishment of a comprehensive network of hydrogen fueling stations – a crucial factor for the market success of this technology. So far, there are only approximately 200 fuel stations worldwide at which fuel cell vehicles can be refueled. According to expert calculations, a network of around 1,000 fixed fuel stations would be sufficient for basic nationwide coverage in Germany. A central aim of Mercedes-Benz is to see to it that, in future, drivers all over the world will be able to refuel with hydrogen – just as they do today with gasoline and diesel fuel.

The exclusive partner for hydrogen supply on the F-CELL World Drive was the Linde Group. Thanks to its hydrogen expertise and global presence, it was able to guarantee fuel supply throughout the entire world trip. A jointly developed mobile refueling unit based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter accompanied the tour – the only way to ensure fuel supply even on the most remote stretches.

Proof of the everyday usability of fuel-cell drive

During the F-CELL World Drive, Mercedes-Benz was able to provide an impressive demonstration of the qualities of its fuel cell vehicles in terms of performance and robustness. The World Drive vehicles drove not only in downtown areas, on country roads and lengthy stretches of highway, but also proved their capabilities driving on unfinished surfaces, for example on stages in Australia and China.

Even a no-fault accident in Kazakhstan was unable to stop the B-Class F-CELL. On the route from Almaty to Balkhash, the number-three B-Class F-CELL was rammed on its rear left fender. The rear axle and bumper of the fuel-cell car both sustained damage. However, the fuel cell vehicle was repaired in a nearby workshop and continued its way around the world. Only a small dent in the bodywork bears testament to this single incident.

Round the world with hydrogen – the tour in figures

After 70 days of driving, participants in the F-CELL World Drive collected an abundance of travel notes documenting the multi-faceted aspects of the tour and, at the same time, underscoring the everyday usability of the fuel cell technology on board the B-Class F-CELL. The record distance of 648 kilometers, split between two stretches of more than 300 kilometers each, was covered on the drive from Almaty to Balkhash in Kazakhstan. Another likely record is the number of inhabitants in the places visited by the tour, ranging from no more than twenty in Balladonia, Australia, to an impressive 19 million in Shanghai, China. Due to the still insufficient hydrogen infrastructure, the mobile unit, which has been developed in cooperation with the Linde AG, was used around 130 times to refuel the B-Classes. Along the route, the B-Class F-CELL vehicles were also refueled in just a few minutes at two hydrogen fueling stations.

Mercedes-Benz long-distance drives – in the tracks of Bertha Benz

With the now historic F-CELL World Drive, the first round-the-world drive with fuel cell vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is adding to a long history of legendary long-distance drives. Examples include the first crossing of Africa in a car in 1909 and the longest diesel marathon – the “E-Class Experience” – run in 2006 over 14,000 kilometers from Paris to Beijing.

As far as its objective was concerned, the F-CELL World Drive has a direct connection to the world’s very first long-distance drive – the pioneering endeavor of Bertha Benz, who, in 1888, completed the first cross-country drive with the Benz Patent-Motorwagen from Mannheim to Pforzheim. She faced in principle the same challenge as her successors with the B-Class F-CELL – she, too, could not exactly roll into the next fuel station and top up.

In the early days of the automobile, drivers had to buy their fuel from the pharmacy, which is why Bertha Benz stopped at the town pharmacy in Wiesloch. That was the only place she could acquire the light gasoline “ligroin” – which was actually intended for domestic use as a stain remover, but also worked as fuel. First gradually, then with increasing speed, the fuel station network expanded into the worldwide infrastructure we know today. That was a defining factor in the triumphant procession of the combustion-engine-powered automobile invented in 1886 by Daimler and Benz. With new drive systems the motto is: alternative drives need alternative infrastructures. In the case of the B-Class F-CELL, this means hydrogen fueling stations. It is for this reason that Mercedes-Benz, as the inventor of the automobile, together with partners from commerce and politics, is lobbying heavily for the establishment of a comprehensive infrastructure – both for electric cars with fuel cells and for those with battery-electric drive.

2011 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive Nearly Home

The F-Cell World Drive is nearly home, having most recenlty crossed Russia & Scandinavia

There are only a few hours left for the three neon green Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell’s that took a journey around the world. The F-CELL World Tour is scheduled to arrive in Stuttgart on June 1st to what we can only imagine will be one hell of a welcome home party. If you’re interested in celebrating their return, head to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart at 3 pm June 1st.

If you are unfamiliar with the F-CELL World Drive and the B-Class F-Cell powered electric cars, they are an example of how developing a technology can also be in harmony with nature. The goal for future mobility is to eliminate Co2 emissions and the F-Cell showcases a technology that has the potential to make this possible.

Recap of F-CELL World Drive legs 24-27:

After a 9000-kilometre journey through China and Kazakhstan and some 25,000 locally emissions-free kilometres covered, our three fuel-cell vehicles crossed the final continental boundary of the tour on 15 May 2011: the 107th day of the F-CELL World Drive saw the tour head from Chelyabinsk to Ufa in Russia, and from there back to Europe, marking the successful crossing of the fourth continent of the journey, Asia. Just five countries remain for participants over the final 5000-kilometre leg of the tour, which is scheduled to finally return to Stuttgart on 1 June after 125 days.

Our three B-Class F-CELL vehicles are expected to cover more than 3000 kilometres on their journey through Russia before crossing into Finland on 23 May, and then on to the home straight via Scandinavia. The first stage on Russian soil, which leads from Chelyabinsk to the capital Moscow over four days, brings the tour back to Europe.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in Europe – Leg 24: From Moscow to St. Petersburg

From the Russian capital Moscow, the F-CELL World Drive starts on its 24th leg on May 20. During three days, the vehicles travel 800 kilometers to St. Petersburg. One day before, local media took the opportunity to test drive the locally emission-free B-Class F-CELL in Moscow.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in Europe – Leg 25: From St. Petersburg to Helsinki

On May 23, the F-CELL World Drive embarks on one of the shortest legs of the world tour: the one-day trip leads the participants from St. Petersburg in Russia into the finish capital Helsinki, thereby covering 450 kilometers. The journey then will continue from Helsinki to Stockholm via ferry.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in Europe – Leg 26: From Stockholm to Oslo

From Stockholm in Sweden, the tour embarks on a 550 kilometers-journey to the neighbouring country Norway, to Oslo. The interest in fuel cell technology there is great: After Germany and the USA, Norway will be the third market where the B-Class F-CELL will be introduced. Also, on May 27, representatives of the local media have the opportunity to learn about fuel cell technology in Oslo.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in Europe – Leg 27: From Oslo to Hamburg

On May 28 the F-CELL World Drive embarks on a two-day trip, leading it towards its destination Germany, where the tour departed from in January. From Oslo in Norway via Malmö in Sweden the route leads to Hamburg. The vehicles thereby cover a distance of 1.200 Kilometer in four countries. Before the beginning of this leg, media representatives in Oslo took the chance of a press event to learn about the emission-free fuel cell technology, which will soon be available in Norway.

Update: 06/01/2011

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in Europe – Leg 28: From Hamburg to Stuttgart

On May 30, the fuel cell vehicles will embark on the last leg of the F-CELL World Drive, leading them from Hamburg via Berlin and Nuremberg to the Mercedes-Benz Headquarters in Stuttgart. About XXX guests will then welcome the convoy after its 125-day trip in the course of a festivity, taking place in the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Furthermore, the Stuttgart-based automotive manufacturer hosts events in Hamburg, Berlin and Nuremberg in order to draw attention to the potential of fuel cell technology and the need for a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure.

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive Headed Through Asia

During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL cars are journeying through 14 countries on 4 continents

On April 22, the F-CELL World Drive departed from the Auto Shanghai show in China for the last and longest leg of its round-the-world tour. From Shanghai the route takes the bright green F-Cell’s through Kazakhstan and Russia on their way back to Europe, where the tour began in January. In 41 days the three fuel cell powered B-Class F-CELL cars will cover around 14,000 kilometres on this final leg. The F-CELL World Drive was one of the highlights of the show in Shanghai. Before starting off from China the cars already absolved around 5,300 kilometres in Australia, and were transported to Asia by air for the last time of the tour. Previously the tour had successfully covered southern Europe and North America.

Since 30 January, the start of the F-CELL World Drive, these “green” fuel cell cars have gained worldwide attention. In addition to the world premiere of the “Concept A-Class” and the Chinese premieres of the new C-Class, the SLK and the CLS, they will also be highlights of the Auto Shanghai show.

The Auto Shanghai show also illustrates the high level of interest in fuel cell technology in China. An emission-free mobility solution also makes good sense in view of the high levels of fine dust pollution in Chinese cities, as well as the fast-growing number of car owners. Moreover, China is one of the most important markets for Mercedes-Benz, and also has great potential with respect to battery-powered electric vehicles.

F-CELL World Drive begins its homeward journey

Within 41 days the F-CELL World Drive will be crossing two continents and seven countries on the last leg of its journey. This means that the “green” B-Class F-CELL cars will not only capture attention in China, but also in Kazakhstan, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany. Local events in these various countries will ensure that fuel cell technology makes a lasting impression. In early June the tour will reach its starting and finishing point in Stuttgart.

The F-CELL World Drive not only passes through the major cities, but also through remote areas of the individual countries concerned. Accordingly the tour is also confronted with the challenge of unfamiliar road conditions and an inadequate supply infrastructure. To an even greater extent than before, the final leg of the journey will require an anticipatory style of driving – and this also applies to the vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Moreover, the backup navigation unit provided has no map material for Kazakhstan, therefore the participants must pay even more attention here. Just in case, maps of the countries concerned will be carried in each vehicle.

From Sydney to Perth: F-CELL World Drive crosses Australia

In Australia too, the tour was able to make acquaintance with remote regions when the F-CELL World Drive crossed southern Australia from Sydney to Perth between 29 March and 9 April, covering more than 5300 kilometres. In Adelaide the participants were able to celebrate the “half-way mark” of the 125-day tour. Previously the vehicles had crossed southern Europe and the USA, successfully covering a total of around 11,000 kilometres. In every city the F-CELL World Drive was given a hearty welcome.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive

During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL cars are journeying through 14 countries on 4 continents – once around the globe. This round-the-world tour organised by Mercedes-Benz started off in Stuttgart on 30 January 2011, and will take 125 days – marking the 125th anniversary of the automobile – until the cars arrive back in Stuttgart in early June after covering 30,000 kilometres. The aim is to demonstrate the technical maturity and day-to-day suitability of fuel cell powered electric cars, and also to draw attention to the need for a widespread hydrogen infrastructure. The company is being assisted with the hydrogen supply for the tour by Linde AG.

Mercedes-Benz and smart Bring e-Power to a Lucky 60

60 winners of a drawing held by radio station SWR3 will have an opportunity to drive various electric cars during a three day tour

From March 31 to April 2, the 60 winners of a drawing held by radio station SWR3 will have an opportunity to drive various electric cars during a three day tour of their broadcasting region. This is in hopes that by driving them for themselves, the will be able to form their own impression of the performance, everyday practicality and driving feel of the locally emission-free vehicles.

Daimler is supporting the unique road show “SWR3 – Drei Tage unter Strom” with a total of 25 electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and smart. The tour will cover almost 500 kilometres right across the SWR3 broadcasting region from Koblenz to Ulm and will give SWR3 listeners an insight into the electric future of the automobile.

Participants include the smart fortwo electric drive – the electrified pioneer of urban mobility, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL, the Vito E-CELL van and the B-Class F-CELL. With this vehicle fleet the inventor of the automobile is providing the majority of the participating electric vehicles and is once again demonstrating how practical and reliable its electric vehicles with both battery and fuel cell technology are today.

“The tour is an excellent practical opportunity to demonstrate the possibilities that e-mobility will offer all citizens in future. This is why we are supporting the SWR3 tour and providing 25 electric vehicles”, says Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. And he continues “The tour is a great idea. It’s really customer-oriented and promises sheer driving pleasure. And because the 60 drivers will convey their impressions live on SWR3 radio to the many listeners, the road show is authentic and shows that with Daimler it is possible to experience the future of driving on the streets nowadays.”

Three days powered by electricity

To mark the 125th anniversary of the automobile, for the first time a road show with electric vehicles will take place in the SWR3 broadcasting region. The radio station recently held a draw for seats in the locally emission-free vehicles. A total of more than 30 electric vehicles will take part in the tour. In addition to the 25 vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and smart, cars made by Tesla, Mitsubishi, Renault, Peugeot and Citroën will also take part in “SWR3 – Drei Tage unter Strom”. The tour will start in Koblenz and pass through Bingen, Bruchsal, Worms, Ludwigsburg and Schwäbisch Gmünd before reaching Ulm. At the stops of the respective stages interested visitors will have an opportunity to find out about the technologies and ways of charging and refuelling the various vehicles.

Wide-ranging fleet of electric vehicles

The vehicles taking part in the tour demonstrate just how varied the Daimler model range of electric cars already is today. The participating smart fortwo electric drive is the ideal battery-electric driven car for the city. With a range of 135 kilometres the electric smart is great fun to drive in urban areas. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL is powered by hydrogen and has a locally emission-free range of around 400 kilometres. It is also ideal for longer journeys and can be fully refuelled in less than three minutes. The A-Class E-CELL offers lots of space, versatility and a very high level of comfort – without producing any emissions. With a range of more than 200 kilometres it is suitable for zero local emission driving in urban areas and in the countryside. A battery-electric van is also taking part in the tour in the form of the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL. This environmentally friendly and quiet van is particularly advantageous for deliveries and transportation in inner city areas. All four models have reached full production maturity and are already available to selected customers.

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive Begins Australian Tour

After a 13-day journey across the south of Australia, the F-Cell World Tour of Australia will end in Perth on April 10

On March 29th, after Europe and the USA & Canada legs, the third section of the F-CELL World Drive with the B-Class F-CELL cars began. This is the second time that Mercedes-Benz has brought fuel cell powered cars to Australia, as this locally emission-free technology was already used in Perth as part of the HyFLEET:CUTE STEP project. Three Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses with fuel cell drive were in operation in the city’s urban public transport system between 2004 and 2007, where they demonstrated their reliability and performance potential by covering a total of over 261,000 kilometres in Down Under. “One major advantage of fuel cell technology is that it can be used in a wide variety of vehicles, from passenger cars to buses. Moreover, it is not only suitable for short distances that are for example covered in public transport, but also for longer distances,” says Prof. Herbert Kohler, Head of E-Drive & Future Mobility in the Research and Pre-Development department, and Chief Environmental Officer of Daimler AG. “Fuel cell vehicles therefore have a great potential for CO2 reduction over a wide range of mobility needs.”

After a 13-day journey across the south of Australia, including detours to the famous Great Ocean Road, the stage of the F-CELL World Drive which is most distant from the final destination, will end in Perth on 10 April. From there, the green-painted B-Class F-CELL cars will embark on their last flight to Shanghai in China. After spending several days at the internationally important exhibition “Auto Shanghai”, their route will then take them more than 14,000 kilometres through the Eurasian continent until they arrive at their starting and finishing point in Stuttgart.

Mobile hydrogen fuelling station

One of the objectives of the F-CELL World Drive is to draw attention to the need for the development of a global hydrogen infrastructure that will make the widespread introduction of locally emission-free fuel cell vehicles possible. To date there are only very few public hydrogen fuelling stations in the world, and this presents a major challenge involving great logistical effort during this unique round-the-world tour. Public fuelling stations have so far only been available at the starting point in Stuttgart and in Los Angeles. Therefore refuelling procedures for the F-CELL World Drive required very precise planning. Two refuelling teams accompanying the tour ensure that the mobile fuelling station is available for the B-Class F-CELL cars at around midday and in the evenings. The hydrogen required is directly transported to the fuelling station by Linde AG. It is fed into the mobile fuelling unit, where it is compressed to the nominal 700 bar pressure under which it is filled into the B-Class F-CELL.

Flight arrangements subject to strict regulations

The cars must be transported from continent to continent by air for their round-the-world tour. In view of national Customs and other regulations, this too requires a great deal of careful organisation.

A jumbo jet is available to carry the tour across the seas. But there is only enough space for all the cars and other equipment if everything is loaded according to a precise plan. Fine visual judgement was therefore required when the vehicles were manoeuvred into the aircraft in Lisbon and Seattle, and of course a number of special safety regulations also needed to be satisfied. The entire tour is therefore accompanied by a crew of specialists who are well-prepared for these situations, and are able to ensure that all goes smoothly. All in all, around 20 technicians with wide-ranging expertise accompany the tour during its individual stages.

Preparations for the world tour

The preparations for this unique undertaking already began months in advance. All the route sections in Europe, the USA, Australia, China, Kazakhstan and Russia were surveyed beforehand, as only in this way could local conditions and refuelling locations be taken into account during the planning.

Indeed refuelling was the greatest challenge of all. All fuelling stops were precisely scheduled in advance to take the 380-kilometre operating range of the cars into account. Refuelling during the tour usually took place at Mercedes-Benz dealerships or Linde locations, as well as in suitable carparks and service stations.

Emission-free tour of North America with the B-Class F-CELL

Before flying to Australia the cars each covered around 10,000 kilometres on North American soil, with 18 driving days, three days of local events and numerous excursions for film and photo shoots. During this tour the participants were able to reduce the average fuel consumption of the B-Class F-CELL from the 1.18 kg of hydrogen per 100 kilometres achieved in Europe to just 1.15 kg. The fuel consumption record for the USA was 0.88 kg per 100 kilometres, corresponding to a diesel equivalent of less than 3 litres per 100 kilometres. Mercedes-Benz also used the tour to visit partner companies in North America. On 10 March the F-CELL World Drive paid a visit to the electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors, and also made a stop at the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC) in Vancouver (Canada), which is developing the fuel cell stack for the B-Class F-CELL in cooperation with the Daimler research and development department in Germany. Mercedes-Benz also took this opportunity to announce future intentions in the field of electromobility: from 2013 the company will produce fuel cell stacks in its own plant in Vancouver (Canada).

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive

During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles are passing through 14 countries and 4 continents – to drive around the globe once. Organised by Mercedes-Benz, the circumnavigation of the world started on 30 January 2011 in Stuttgart and is scheduled to last 125 days, until the vehicles return to Stuttgart again at the beginning of June, after covering a distance of some 30,000 kilometres. The aim of the tour is to demonstrate the technical maturity and suitability for everyday use of electric vehicles with fuel cells, and at the same time highlight the need for a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure. The Stuttgart-based automotive manufacturer is being supported on the tour by Linde AG, which is responsible for supplying the hydrogen.

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive Tours the West Coast

Mercedes-Benz is focusing attention on e-mobility with fuel cell technology and proving it's ready for large-scale production

With the F-CELL World Drive, Mercedes-Benz is focusing global attention on the potential of e-mobility with fuel cell technology and is furthermore demonstrating impressively that this technology is ready for large-scale production. The next step to be taken for the industrialisation of this guiding technology is the development of a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure.

Leg 9 – Phoenix to Los Angeles:

On March 6th, the ninth leg led the B-Class F-CELL vehicles from Phoenix to Los Angeles, California. On its way to L.A. via San Diego, the F-CELL World Drive covered more than 478 miles (770 kilometres). At the end of the leg in Los Angeles, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL – for the first and only time in the U.S.A. – were refuelled at a public station within only three minutes of time.

Leg 10 – Los Angeles to Sacramento:

On day 39 of the circumnavigation, the F-CELL World Drive embarked on the tenth leg, which leads north through the coastal state of California. The route takes the participants through San Francisco as well as to the Californian capital Sacramento. During this leg, the vehicles cover a total of 590 miles (950 kilometers). By staging local activities, like in San Francisco and Sacramento, Mercedes-Benz furthermore offers interested parties the possibility to gather information about the potential of fuel cell technology and the B-Class F-CELL. Moreover, a visit at Tesla Motors is part of this tenth leg.

Leg 11 – Sacramento to Salem:

On the eleventh leg, the F-CELL World Drive embarks from Sacramento, California, to Salem, which is the capital of the state of Oregon. Each of the vehicles covers a total of 540 miles (870 kilometers) – locally emission-free.

To view the American F-Cell World Tour legs 6-8, click here.

Infrastructure in the USA: California points the way forward

The F-CELL World Drive is particularly highlighting the still existing gaps of the global hydrogen infrastructure. By the end of the USA section of the tour on 18 March, the B-Class F-CELL vehicles will have been refuelled around 35 times on the route from Miami to Seattle – but only one of these refuelling procedures will have taken place at a public hydrogen filling station, located in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

“The American market is already active in the field of fuel cell technology, but like in Europe, there is still a need for development when it comes to infrastructure. Together with our regional partners, we want to point out the potentials of this technology and to get important lead markets ready for the rollout of a high number of electric vehicles with fuel cell technology,” says Dr. Thomas Weber, the Daimler AG Board Member responsible for Group Research and Development for Mercedes-Benz Cars. So far there are a few filling stations in California as well as on the East Coast of the USA, in the city of New York and also in Michigan. Most of the activities are currently taking place in California, however. Customers in the city of Los Angeles – where a number of Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles have been on the road since the end of 2010 – can already refuel their vehicles at five public hydrogen filling stations. Of these, three are equipped with the latest – and meanwhile globally standardized –700-bar technology which enables the tanks of B-Class vehicles to be filled in just three minutes for a range of about 400 kilometers.

Alongside further deliveries of B-Class vehicles with fuel cell drives to customers in the USA in 2011 and 2012, it is concretely planned to extend the supply network in American metropolitan areas. During a second stage they will then be linked up to each other. These steps will consequently spread fuel cell technology.

According to a study by UC Davis [1] , the basic supply of such zero-emission vehicles could be guaranteed with only about 40 hydrogen filling stations in the metropolitan area of Los Angeles. The State of California already provided an initial funding. Until today, 27 million US-Dollars went into the promotion of a hydrogen infrastructure. Another 14 million US Dollars is expected to be invested in 2011. For 2011 and 2012, the opening of further filling stations has been announced, four in the greater area of Los Angeles, two stations in the San Francisco Bay Area and 10 more stations in 2012. From 2012, a total of about 20 stations in California will supply electric vehicles with fuel cell technology with the necessary hydrogen.

These positive developments in the hydrogen infrastructure of California are also the result of Daimler AG’s almost 20-year commitment to fuel cell technology. For many years the company has been an active member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), an amalgamation of automotive manufacturers, energy suppliers, government bodies and technology companies, and also the newly established Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) in California.

The production of the necessary hydrogen today already provides a firm foundation for a future hydrogen infrastructure. The hydrogen industry in the USA could already supply up to 40 million vehicles. Pipelines, which can transport the hydrogen from the producers to the end-users, are already in place in many parts of the country.

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive Makes Its Way Across America

The second leg of the F-CELL World Drive leaves Miami and heads straight across the USA all the way to Vancouver, Canada

On February 25th, 2011, the Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive began the second leg of its world tour with three neon green B-Class F-CELL vehicles. The U.S. journey began in Fort Lauderdale, FLand headed towards New Orleans, LA. In total, the vehicles will rack up around 4,660 miles in just the USA and Canada. After their brief visit, the F-Cell cars will board a plane and head to Australia via Seattle, WA.

We will continue to update you on the F-Cell World Drive progress with photos and daily updates. For now, read below for more information on the tour as well as brief diary excerpts from the World Drive staff below.

Local zero-emission motoring from Miami to Seattle

The second leg of the F-CELL World Drive is taking the three fuel cell vehicles across the North American continent, from Miami right across the USA and as far as Vancouver in Canada. The route then continues by airplane from Seattle to Australia. In doing so, the journey will also highlight the gaps in the American hydrogen infrastructure. By the end of the USA tour the B-Class F-CELL vehicles will have been refuelled around 35 times during 18 legs – but only one time will be at a public hydrogen filling station in Torrance, Los Angeles.

During the tour, the striking green paint finish of the B-Class F-CELL vehicles, which already caused a sensation at the Detroit Motor Show, isn’t the only feature raising attention to the tour. Local events in San Francisco, Sacramento, Salem and Vancouver will also provide the opportunity for an intensive exchange of ideas with local media, visitors and residents on the subject of fuel cell technology.

During this leg of the trip, which is scheduled to take roughly three weeks, participants can expect to enjoy a varied programme providing not only extensive opportunity to experience the B-Class F-CELL, but also interesting information on the topic of sustainable mobility. On 1 March the tour already paid a visit to the Daimler car2go mobility project in Austin, Texas. The next item of the agenda, due to take place on 10 March, is an intensive exchange on the topic of electric mobility at Tesla Motors in Palo Alto. Tesla designs and builds high performance electric cars and supplies powertrain components to leading OEMs. Tesla makes the lithium-ion battery and charger for Daimler’s smart fortwo electric drive and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL. In Vancouver the participants will then be the guests of the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC). This is where the fuel cell stack for the B-Class F-CELL, for example, was developed in close cooperation with Daimler research and development staff from Germany. The company was established in 2007, with Daimler as the majority shareholder (50.1 percent). In addition, while in Vancouver the F-CELL World Drive will also meet up with adventurer and explorer Mike Horn and his PANGAEA Expedition, for which Mercedes-Benz is the main sponsor. The PANGAEA Expedition’s sailing ship has been visiting all of the continents, including both the North and South Pole, since October 2008. Together with young people from all over the world, expedition leader Mike Horn is setting up ecological and social projects on his trip around the world.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive Info

During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles are passing through 14 countries and 4 continents – to drive around the globe once. Organised by Mercedes-Benz, the circumnavigation of the world started on 30 January 2011 in Stuttgart and is scheduled to last 125 days, until the vehicles return to Stuttgart again at the beginning of June, after covering a distance of some 30,000 kilometres. The aim of the tour is to demonstrate the technical maturity and suitability for everyday use of electric vehicles with fuel cells, and at the same time highlight the need for a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure. The Stuttgart-based automotive manufacturer is being supported on the tour by Linde AG, which is responsible for supplying the hydrogen.

Leg 6:

On February 25th, 2011, the F-CELL World Drive embarked on the first leg in the USA from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans. From 25th until 27 th of February, the vehicles passed through the four states Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana and thereby covered 1.460 kilometers.

“Our F-CELL World Drive finished the first diving day in the U.S. On February 25th the three B-Class F-CELL started their drive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 8 a.m. After a refuelling stop during lunch time close to the Kennedy Space Center they continued their journeys to Jacksonville. Facts of the day: distance 568 km/ 353 miles, sunny weather and at least one sunburn.” F-Cell World Drive Blogger

Leg 7:

The seventh leg of the F-CELL World Drive led the vehicles from New Orleans in Louisiana over a distance of more than 1.070 kilometers to San Antonio, Texas. Along the way, the tour made a stopover at the mobility project car2go in Austin.

“The seventh leg of the F-CELL World Drive led the vehicles from New Orleans in Louisiana over a distance of more than 1.070 locally emission-free kilometres to San Antonio, Texas. Along the way, the tour made a stopover at the mobility project car2go in Austin. Right now, the tour and most of the team members have a spare day in San Antonio. Fair enough: ¼ of the tour done (31 days) — 94 days remaining.” F-Cell World Drive Blogger

Leg 8:

Starting from San Antonio on March 3rd , the three B-Class F-CELL vehicles set off on the eighth leg. The ride across the state of New Mexico to Phoenix in Arizona is the longest leg of the US-stage, covering a distance of more than 1.600 kilometers. On March 2nd the tour therefore used the opportunity to allow the participants a break in San Antonio.

“The F-CELL World Drive contested its 8th leg from San Antonio, Texas to Fort Stockton. Our team tackled more than 500 kilometres and got to know the almost waterless but rather adventurous and historically impressed outback of the “Lone Star State”. About 1/3 of the remaining distance to reach the next great destination is done. The Tour is already on its way to Deming: Phoenix is near! — 93 days left ” F-Cell World Drive Blogger

“From dawn till dusk…or almost dust?…F-CELL World Drives’ long way to Phoenix let the team leave Texas and have a stopover in Las Cruces, also known as “The City of Crosses”! Nearby the border of New Mexico they experienced the rough flair of this area. Searching for the famous Rio Grande was not successful…mostly dust…that’s what it is! Phoenix…the F-CELL World Drive is approaching…about 500 kilometres left!” F-Cell World Drive Blogger

“The F-CELL World Drive completed its 8th leg from San Antonio to Phoenix. Crossing the states of Texas and New Mexico the tour tackled over 1600 kilometres in 3 days and left behind the longest leg in the US in order to reach the capital of Arizona. More than ¼ of the route in done. The team is currently on the way towards LA – Full speed – or let’s say hydrogen – ahead!” F-Cell World Drive Blogger

F-Cell World Drive U.S. Diary Updates:

Day 1: Ft. Lauderdale – Kennedy Space Center – Jacksonville, Florida, 352 miles  Friday, February 25th

The drive began in Ft. Lauderdale on Friday, February 25th with journalists and bloggers behind the wheel of three F-CELLs. They are the first group of many national and international journalists who have been invited to join us along the route to test drive these vehicles. By mid-day, the entire team had arrived at the Kennedy Space Center where our first fueling took place. Fortunate for us the shuttle launch took place as scheduled the day before, so that we had plenty of space to refuel and enjoy the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Early evening we reached Jacksonville where our Parts Distribution Center welcomed us with a reception. Following a refuelling on their property, we regrouped poolside at our hotel to discuss the next day’s plans.

Day 2: Jacksonville – Tallahassee – Defuniak Springs, Florida, 303 miles   Saturday, February 26th

On day two we left Jacksonville, the beautiful Florida coast and entered a Starbucks neutral territory. At our first refuelling stop at a Linde distribution center in the state capital of Tallahassee, we enjoyed a southern style barbeque meal surrounded by cylinders of hydrogen, nitrogen and helium. Today we gained an extra hour settling comfortably into a new time zone in Defuniak Springs followed by dinner at Bogart’s Cafe in the town’s historic district.

Day 3: Defuniak Springs, Florida – Grand Bay, Alabama – Slidell, Louisiana, 263 miles  Sunday, February 27th

When our opening car starts out every morning at 6:30 am to prepare the fueling site, we are confident that all will run smoothly thanks to our advance team arriving the day before to ensure everything is in place. The fuel cell cars, by the way, are running smoothly and require no special attention. The field team spends most of their time and effort involved with the fueling process and the logistics of moving vehicles and people down the road.

Today we opted for a scenic route along the Gulf Coast to our first fueling site at the volunteer fire department of Grand Bay, Alabama. In the afternoon, NASA again supported our efforts by allowing us entry to the Stennis Space Center for our 2nd fueling of the day. The field team spent the night outside of New Orleans in Slidell, although some did enjoy Mardi Gras festivities on Bourbon Street, while others dined with the second group of journalists and bloggers who will accompany us to San Antonio.

Day 4: Slidell, Louisiana – Egan, Texas – Baytown, Texas, 342 miles  Monday, February 28th

Driving across the bayous of Louisiana, we left the sultry weather behind us and entered the vast expanse of Texas where we will spend the next four days. We received a warm southern welcome at our first fueling site in Egan, Texas but declined the offer to cool off at the truck stop casino. A lot of work is involved in refueling the vehicles. One important component of the operation is the hydrogen compressor which is housed in a Sprinter van. The vehicle seems to come alive during the fueling and emits all sorts of sounds during the process. It has since been christened “the Buffalo” because of its stamina, endurance and the noise it makes. Here in Texas we are on the look-out for some bull horns to complete the picture.

Day 5: Baytown, Texas – Austin, Texas – San Antonio, Texas, 311 miles   Tuesday, March 1st

We received more Southern hospitality with a Texas barbeque at the Austin Mercedes-Benz dealership while the Buffalo worked away at a nearby shopping mall parking lot. There at the fueling site we all had a look at a line-up of smart vehicles which are part of the successful vehicle loaner program car2go recently launched here in the capital of Texas. The afternoon drive lasted well into the evening as the F-CELLs drove a scenic route through the beautiful hill country of Texas and on into the city of San Antonio. The final members of the fuel support team arrived to the hotel in time for a near midnight snack. Fortunate for us we have the day off tomorrow to rest and explore San Antonio.

Mercedes-Benz Hits the Big Screen in “Unknown”

Blockbuster movie "Unknown" features Several Mercedes-Benz vehicles alongside its super star cast

The fast-paced action thriller “Unknown”, playing in the U.S. and now showing in German cinemas beginning today, offers movie-goers a blockbuster cast and a fleet of cars displaying the Mercedes star. In total, six Mercedes-Benz models are featured alongside leading actors Liam Neeson and German beauty Diane Kruger, in some scenes taking on major roles in the breakneck race against time. Throughout the movie you will see four E-Class taxis from three decades, a SLS AMG Gullwing and a fuel cell car in the guise of the B-Class F-Cell. The film was made by director Jaume Collet-Serra and producer Joel Silver in Berlin, Brandenburg, Leipzig and the Babelsberg studios in Potsdam.

“End of the 19th century the automobile and the cinema have been invented. Thanks to their fascination, Mercedes-Benz vehicles have a long tradition as heroes of the silver screen. They have written cinematic history above all in the role of taxis and attractive sports cars,” says Anders Sundt Jensen, Vice President Brand Communication Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We are delighted that our 125th anniversary is being marked with no less than six Mercedes-Benz models appearing in an international blockbuster.”

About the film “Unknown”

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run.

On his own in a strange country, Martin seeks aid from an unlikely and reluctant source (Diane Kruger) as he plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.

“Unknown” was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (“Orphan”), from a screenplay by Oliver Butcher & Stephen Cornwell, based on the novel by Didier van Cauwelaert.

The contemporary thriller stars Oscar® nominee Liam Neeson (“Schindler’s List”), Diane Kruger (“Inglorious Basterds”), January Jones (TV’s “Mad Men”) and Aidan Quinn (TV’s “The Book of Daniel”), with Bruno Ganz (“The Reader”) and Oscar® nominee Frank Langella (“Frost/Nixon”).

“Unknown” was produced by Joel Silver (“Sherlock Holmes”), Leonard Goldberg (“Charlie’s Angels” franchise) and Andrew Rona (upcoming “The Apparition”). Susan Downey, Steve Richards, Sarah Meyer and Peter McAleese served as executive producers.

Collet-Serra’s behind-the-scenes collaborators included director of photography Flavio Labiano, production designer Richard Bridgland, editor Tim Alverson, and two-time Oscar®-nominated costume designer Ruth Myers (“Emma,” “The Addams Family”). The music is by John Ottman and Alexander Rudd.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Dark Castle Entertainment, a Panda Production, “Unknown.” The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

“Unknown” has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sexual content.

Featured Mercedes-Benz vehicles:

  • E-Class taxis
  • W 124 (built from 1984 to 1997), W 210 (built from 1995 to 2002),
  • W 211 (built from 2002 to 2009), W 212 (built since 2009)
  • SLS AMG super sports car (built since 2009)
  • B-Class F-CELL (built in 2010)

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Drive Kicks Off Its North American Tour

The Mercedes F-CELL World Drive will be travelling across North America demonstrating the potential of fuel cell technology

Today, February 25th, the F-CELL World Drive embarked on the second leg of its tour when three green Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles set out from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on their first North American leg towards New Orleans, Louisiana. In total, the vehicles will be covering around 4,600 miles in the United States and Canada, after which they will leave from Seattle, Washington to continue their journey to Australia. So far the F-CELL World Drive has already clocked up more than 2,200 miles on the roads of Europe.

The Mercedes F-CELL World Drive will be travelling across North America until March 18, demonstrating the potential of fuel cell technology. In addition, with what is to date a unique undertaking, Mercedes-Benz is reaffirming the need to develop a comprehensive global hydrogen infrastructure. “We will have reached market maturity with fuel cell technology by 2015 at the latest. From that point we would then be in a position to bring several 100,000 vehicles, in a variety of different model series, onto the roads. For example we are also planning a saloon model with fuel cell drive and will thereby expand our portfolio of local zero-emission vehicles. Therefore, by that time, an infrastructure which allows the everyday operation of such vehicles, needs to be in place.”, according to Dr. Thomas Weber, the Daimler AG Board Member responsible for Group Research and Development for Mercedes-Benz Cars. “Now is therefore the time to increase speed and consistently develop the hydrogen filling station network.”

Local zero-emission motoring from Miami to Seattle

The second leg of the F-CELL World Drive is taking the three fuel cell vehicles across the North American continent, from Miami right across the USA and as far as Vancouver in Canada. The route then continues by airplane from Seattle to Australia. In doing so, the journey will also highlight the gaps in the American hydrogen infrastructure. By the end of the USA tour the B-Class F-CELL vehicles will have been refuelled around 35 times during 18 legs – but only one time will be at a public hydrogen filling station in Torrance, Los Angeles.

During the tour, the striking green paint finish of the B-Class F-CELL vehicles, which already caused a sensation at the Detroit Motor Show, isn’t the only feature raising attention to the tour. Local events in San Francisco, Sacramento, Salem and Vancouver will also provide the opportunity for an intensive exchange of ideas with local media, visitors and residents on the subject of fuel cell technology.

During this leg of the trip, which is scheduled to take roughly three weeks, participants can expect to enjoy a varied programme providing not only extensive opportunity to experience the B-Class F-CELL, but also interesting information on the topic of sustainable mobility. On 1 March the tour already paid a visit to the Daimler car2go mobility project in Austin, Texas. The next item of the agenda, due to take place on 10 March, is an intensive exchange on the topic of electric mobility at Tesla Motors in Palo Alto. Tesla designs and builds high performance electric cars and supplies powertrain components to leading OEMs. Tesla makes the lithium-ion battery and charger for Daimler’s smart fortwo electric drive and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL. In Vancouver the participants will then be the guests of the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC). This is where the fuel cell stack for the B-Class F-CELL, for example, was developed in close cooperation with Daimler research and development staff from Germany. The company was established in 2007, with Daimler as the majority shareholder (50.1 percent). In addition, while in Vancouver the F-CELL World Drive will also meet up with adventurer and explorer Mike Horn and his PANGAEA Expedition, for which Mercedes-Benz is the main sponsor. The PANGAEA Expedition’s sailing ship has been visiting all of the continents, including both the North and South Pole, since October 2008. Together with young people from all over the world, expedition leader Mike Horn is setting up ecological and social projects on his trip around the world.

Heading through Europe with hydrogen in tow

Prior to setting off in the USA, the vehicles already proved themselves on a route covering more than 3000 kilometres through Southern Europe. The symbolic starting shot for the tour actually sounded on 29 January during the official ceremony to mark the 125th anniversary of the motor car, after which, just one day later, the B-Class

F-CELL vehicles set out on the first stage to Paris. After this they made for the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, driving via France and Spain.

The initial kilometres of the unique world tour have already displayed the need for action in terms of the provision of hydrogen. The accompanying participants from the USA and China discovered that even a fuel cell vehicle such as the B-Class F-CELL can provide an enjoyable and dynamic driving experience as well as high cruising speeds: On the German motorways they kept the vehicles at a speed of 170 km/h. The consequences of this style of driving became apparent later, however, when it was discovered that the tanks of two of the three vehicles were empty approx. 40 kilometres before the scheduled fuel stop. This resulted in the realisation that, even with a fuel cell vehicle, driving fast results in increased consumption, and that all drivers can cover longer local zero-emission motoring distances by adopting an economical driving style. On subsequent legs, the real goal of the participants was to achieve as low a consumption as possible by adopting an appropriate driving style at comfortable speeds. As part of this, one of the drivers even managed to better an NEDC-certified (New European Driving Cycle) value equivalent to 3.3 litres of fuel (diesel equivalent) per 100 kilometers, resulting in a range of 380 km.

For Mercedes-Benz, these initial problems most notably reflect the need for action when it comes to the provision of hydrogen. The refuelling situation on the F-CELL World Drive underpins this issue. At the start in Stuttgart, the vehicles could still be refuelled at the public hydrogen filling station of OMV. However, up until the preliminary leg destination of Lisbon, the vehicles had to resort to alternatives, such as the mobile refuelling vehicle developed specifically for the tour. This was developed in conjunction with Linde AG, which is also guaranteeing the supply of hydrogen for the entire world tour, something which represents a significant challenge since the hydrogen has to be made available at each of the refuelling stops at the right time, in the right quantity and with the necessary degree of purity.

Despite the partial difficult conditions – which a trip around the world brings along with it – after extensive test drives it has become apparent to the participants of the tour that the B-Class F-CELL is highly suited to everyday use. Furthermore, as determined at a routine evening check in Lyon, even animals such as the pine marten are keen on the technology too. Two small holes in the cooling and heating hoses, caused by the teeth of the predators, were the fuel cell vehicle’s first small issues requiring repair.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive

During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles are passing through 14 countries and 4 continents – to drive around the globe once. Organised by Mercedes-Benz, the circumnavigation of the world started on 30 January 2011 in Stuttgart and is scheduled to last 125 days, until the vehicles return to Stuttgart again at the beginning of June, after covering a distance of some 30,000 kilometres. The aim of the tour is to demonstrate the technical maturity and suitability for everyday use of electric vehicles with fuel cells, and at the same time highlight the need for a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure. The Stuttgart-based automotive manufacturer is being supported on the tour by Linde AG, which is responsible for supplying the hydrogen.

Mercedes-Benz Electric Vehicle with Fuel Cell Presented to Federal Ministry of Transport

The fuel cell drive in the B-Class F-CELL is efficient, clean and highly suitable for everyday use

Thanks to the B-Class F-CELL, the employees of the German Federal Ministry of Transport will soon be able to enjoy local zero-emission motoring on business trips. This is because Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, presented a fuel cell car to German Federal Minister for Transport Peter Ramsauer in Berlin today. Another B-Class F-CELL was also accepted by NOW GmbH – the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.

“Electric cars featuring fuel cell drives have the potential to revolutionize our mobility again. The fuel cell drive in the B-Class F-CELL is efficient, clean and highly suitable for everyday use. It enables local zero-emission motoring with a range of around 400 kilometres, and this is with a refuelling time of just three minutes. In addition, the vehicle really comes into its own in terms of driving pleasure”, explained Dr. Thomas Weber.

“Germany is a world leader in the development of hydrogen and fuel cell technology. We now need to build on this lead. Our goal is clear: today we are building the best cars in the world, and in the future we also want to build the best electric cars in the world. To achieve this we need marketable, practical products, because the success of electric mobility will depend to a great extent on acceptance by users. This is why we are promoting electric mobility not only with batteries, but also with hydrogen and fuel cells. In cities, on short journeys, I see great potential for electric cars with batteries. On longer routes, electric vehicles featuring fuel cells present an interesting option”, noted Federal Minister for Transport Mr. Ramsauer.

Local zero-emission mobility

In the current B-Class F-CELL, the 100 kW/136 hp electric motor, which develops torque of 290 Nm, delivers dynamism from the instant the engine starts to turn. At the same time the B-Class F-CELL achieves an NEDC consumption (New European Driving Cycle) equivalent to only 3.3 litres of fuel (diesel equivalent) per 100 kilometres. With its long range and short refuelling times, the B-Class F-CELL combines local zero-emission mobility and high performance with suitability for long distances. At the heart of the drive system is the optimised, latest generation fuel cell system which is compact, powerful, safe and suitable for everyday use.

The fuel cell generates the electrical power on board the vehicle, from a chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen – producing only pure water and zero emissions. The integrated safety concept of the B-Class F-CELL takes the specific characteristics of the innovative drive system into account. The experience garnered over many years by Mercedes-Benz with the electric drive powered with fuel cells from the A-Class F-CELL and the high-voltage technology involving the lithium-ion battery from the S 400 HYBRID went into honing the concept.

Everyday use demonstrates practical suitability

In order to gather more experience from everyday use of the vehicle, which will be of benefit for subsequent model series, on the basis of market research data Mercedes-Benz has chosen a representative customer group consisting of fleet operators, public institutions, public figures and private customers as “test drivers”. In all, by 2012 around 90 B-Class F-CELL vehicles will be introduced into the German market. Within the scope of the National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP), BMVBS advances the allocation and operation of the B-Class F-CELL. At the same time, the vehicle is also being put to practical everyday use in the USA as well as a number of other countries. It is expected that in 2012 a total of around 200 examples of the environmentally friendly electric cars will be operated on the roads by customers.

A million electric vehicles on German roads by 2020

A prerequisite for the introduction of fuel cell vehicles as well as the necessary infrastructure they require is that all of the parties involved must pull together. Support from public authorities is particularly important in order to ensure prompt and extensive implementation of the mobility concept. As part of the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme (NIP), which is coordinated by NOW, the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is supporting research and development work, as well as demonstrating hydrogen and fuel cell technology in the areas of transport, stationary supply and special markets with investment currently totalling 500 million euros. Initiatives such as the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) are also expected to provide proof of the system capabilities of accompanying technologies. These include the electrolytic production and storage of gaseous hydrogen at filling stations, and the central CO2-free extraction of hydrogen and its subsequent delivery and on-site storage. The aim is to put the economic efficiency of hydrogen production from regenerative energy sources to the test in actual operation, to guarantee quick, safe refuelling, and also to demonstrate the suitability for everyday use of high-performance, near production standard hydrogen vehicles. “I want this future technology to become part of everyday life – including part of our lives here at the Ministry. This is why we are striving to set an example: as of today, in addition to a battery car, we will also be using a fuel cell vehicle to meet the Ministry’s official motoring requirements”, explained the Federal Minister for Transport.

Mercedes-Benz USA Delivers First F-CELL Powered B-Class to Californian

The first new Mercedes-Benz F-CELL hydrogen-powered B-Class vehicles are now available to California residents

The first new Mercedes-Benz F-CELL hydrogen-powered B-Class vehicles are now available to California residents, making emission-free driving a reality. Mr. Vance Van Petten took the keys to the very first Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicle available to U.S. customers during an official hand-over at the newly renovated dealership of Fletcher Jones Mercedes-Benz in Newport Beach.

Mr. Van Petten, Executive Director of the Producers Guild of America, said, “As a long-time environmental advocate and supporter of sustainable production and eco-friendly transport, I’m thrilled to be driving a vehicle that I believe represents the future of environmentally thoughtful transportation — not only does it have zero emissions, but it also provides me with all of the safety technology one expects from Mercedes-Benz.”

Mr. Van Petten is part of a select group of people who are participating in a Mercedes-Benz lease program for the B-Class F-CELL Hydrogen car. As part of an initiative to further develop F-CELL vehicles and gain real-world experience in the United States, these vehicles will also be used to provide driving data to the Department of Energy (DOE) to support their Hydrogen to the Highways program. Due to the restricted number of Hydrogen fueling stations, Mercedes-Benz sought prospects for the F-CELL lease through its own survey and vetting process to determine who among the many applicants would become among the first to lease the F-CELL hydrogen vehicles. Those interested in leasing an F-CELL can visit

Powered by an electric motor with 134 horsepower and 215 lb-ft of torque, the new B-Class F-CELL provides driving performance comparable to a similar conventional car while using about half the fuel. The car utilizes a fuel cell stack for generating electricity and a lithium ion battery for energy storage. Taking only approximately three minutes to refuel, The B-Class F-CELL emits only water as a by-product of the fuel cell system.

“The introduction of the F-CELL in California marks the beginning of zero emission Fuel Cell technology in the US for Mercedes-Benz,” said Sascha Simon, head of advanced product planning at Mercedes-Benz USA. “With a range of 240 miles that never needs to be plugged and more than 15 years of Mercedes-Benz research already committed to the technology, we believe this is a great addition to our fast growing portfolio of alternative fuel vehicles that customers can choose from to best suit their lifestyle.”

The F-Cell made an appearance this summer at the US Open Tennis Championships where Mercedes-Benz is the official vehicle. It played its part within the overall green fleet for VIP and player transportation, which also included Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid sedans. Alec Baldwin, this past tournament’s USTA green ambassador arrived at the tournament’s Opening Ceremony in the F-CELL.

Californians are no strangers to Mercedes-Benz eco-friendly vehicles including Hollywood’s elite. Individuals such as Demi Moore, Gerard Butler, Simon Baker, Toby Maguire and Katharine McPhee among others are choosing Mercedes-Benz because it offers safety and technology with solid environmental credentials without sacrificing luxury. These vehicles range from the S400 HYBRID luxury sedan to the ML450 HYBRID mid-size SUV. Also popular are the clean diesel BlueTEC sedans and SUVs like the E350 BlueTEC and the R, ML and GL350 BlueTEC.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class and B-Class Deliver Their 2.5 Millionth Vehicle

We’ve set the standards with the A- and B-Class, and we want to achieve growth in additional markets with their successor generation

Mercedes-Benz delivered its 2.5 millionth compact vehicle to a customer in March 2010. “We’ve set the standards for premium compact vehicles with the A- and B-Class, and we plan to further exploit our outstanding position in this segment in the future,” said Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Head of Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We want to attract new customer groups and also achieve growth in additional markets with the successor generation in this segment.” Mercedes-Benz will expand its compact vehicle portfolio from two to four models starting at the end of 2011. The future models will offer product attributes that are already popular among A- and B-Class customers, such as the spacious interior. The brand will also set a new tone through the introduction of additional model variants and concepts.

Pioneer in alternative drives

With the A-Class E-CELL (production start in 2010) and B-Class F-CELL (production since 2009), Mercedes-Benz’ compact model series also makes the brand a pioneer in alternative drive systems. The A-Class E-CELL will initially be produced in a small batch of more than 500 units and then leased to selected customers for a period of four years. The model’s state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery enables a range of more than 200 kilometers, making the A-Class E-CELL, like all battery-electric vehicles, particularly suited for urban applications. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL has an electric drive system that obtains energy from a fuel cell. The vehicle in effect carries its fuel on board, and with a range of approximately 400 kilometers it is suitable for both emission-free city driving and trips over longer distances. The first of the approximately 200 B-Class F-CELL models will be delivered to customers in Europe and the U.S. in 2010.

B-Class successfully launched in China

The A- and B-Class models are especially popular in European countries. Along with their home market, Germany, their most important sales markets include Italy and France. The B-Class has also gotten off to a successful start on the Chinese growth market, as 6,400 units have already been sold since the model was introduced to China at the beginning of 2009. The most popular B-Class engine variants worldwide are the B 180 and the B 180 CDI; the best-selling A-Class variants are the A 160 and the A 180. Cosmos Black and Polar Silver are the favorite colors of A- and B-Class customers, who also very much like the Active Park Assist system that has been available as an option since 2008.

New models in the production network

The next generation of the A- and B-Class will be produced in the Mercedes-Benz production network. The competence center for Mercedes-Benz compact vehicles is located at the Rastatt plant, which has been producing the A-Class since 1997 and the B-Class since 2005. Daimler AG is investing €600 million to expand production capacity at the facility. Construction of an additional production plant in Kecskemét, Hungary, for the Mercedes-Benz compact models has already begun, and the investment here totals €800 million.

Mercedes-Benz At The 2009 IAA: The Mercedes B-Class F-CELL

The environmentally friendly electric car has better a performance similar to than a 2,0-litre petrol car and is suited for everyday driving

Mercedes-Benz is launching its first series-produced fuel cell car on the road: the new B‑Class F-CELL. The environmentally friendly electric car has better a performance similar to than a 2,0-litre petrol car and is fully suited for everyday driving. The zero-emission drive system consumes the equivalent of 3.3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). Production of the B‑Class F-CELL will commence in late 2009 with a small lot. The first of around 200 vehicles will be delivered to customers in Europe and the USA at the beginning of next year.

The new fuel cell vehicle offers everything that people expect from a Mercedes-Benz: High comfort and safety as well as no reduction in interior space and boot capacity. Customers will not have to sacrifice any driving pleasure either, because the electric motor has a peak performance of 100 kW/136 hp and a maximum torque of 290 Nm, which is available from the first rotation. It ensures that the B‑Class F-CELL, whose impressive dynamic handling properties are in some cases far better than those of a two-litre petrol car, gets off to an excellent start. Despite these qualities, the zero-emission fuel cell drive consumes the equivalent of only 3.3 litres of diesel fuel per 100 kilometres (NEDC). Thanks to its great range of about 400 kilometres and short refuelling times of around three minutes, the B‑Class F-CELL ensures local zero-emission mobility even for long stretches.

“2009 is the year in which we are establishing further milestones where sustainable mobility is concerned. The B-Class F-CELL is taking on a pioneering role as the world’s first fuel cell powered automobile to be produced under series production conditions”, says Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Development for Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The vehicle’s technological heart is the new generation of the compact, high-performance fuel cell system, in which gaseous hydrogen reacts with atmospheric oxygen at 700 bar to generate a current for the electric motor. The fuel cell system of the B‑Class F-CELL has a very good cold-start capability even at temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius. The drive system was completely newly developed versus the F-CELL A-Class presented in 2004, with Mercedes-Benz engineers achieving considerable improvements in output, torque, operating range, reliability, starting characteristics and comfort. The B-Class F-CELL now offers driving pleasure and day-to-day suitability at Mercedes level – without local emissions.

As in hybrids with combustion engines, the fuel-cell car uses a lithium-ion battery with an output of 35 kW and a capacity of 1.4 kWh to boost power and recover braking energy. Lithium-ion technology offers several advantages over conventional batteries, including compact dimensions, high performance, great recharge efficiency and a long service life.

The B‑Class F-CELL employs the unique sandwich floor architecture that is well-known from the A- and B-Class. The advantage of this design is that the drive components are located in the sandwich floor, where they are protected and don’t take up much space so that the vehicle’s interior remains fully usable and a boot capacity of 416 litres is available.

The B-Class F-CELL does not need to fear comparison where equipment is concerned either. Eye-catching features include a bonamite silver paint finish and exclusive light-alloy wheels in a 10-spoke design. In the interior, leather upholstery, seat heating, automatic climate control and the COMAND-system, as well as other features, continue to ensure a high level of comfort.

Same level of safety as in other Mercedes cars

No matter what the conditions, the operational reliability of the B‑Class F-CELL is of the same high level as in Mercedes vehicles with conventional combustion engines. The B‑Class F-CELL’s integrated safety concept takes the specific characteristics of the innovative drive system into account. The concept incorporates the expertise from the many years of experience Mercedes-Benz has had with fuel cell drives and high-voltage applications. Mercedes engineers have tested and optimised the drive-specific components’ safety in more than 30 additional crash tests.

Network of filling stations required for car’s widespread use

With more than 100 test vehicles and a combined total of over 4.5 million kilometres of trial testing, Daimler and Mercedes-Benz have the most extensive experience with fuel cell vehicles of any manufacturer worldwide. The B‑Class F-CELL is further testimony of this technology’s high level of development for automotive use. However, a comprehensive network of hydrogen filling stations still has to be set up before locally zero-emission driving can become a widespread reality. To make this possible, Daimler is cooperating with government authorities, energy utilities and oil companies in joint projects in places such as Hamburg, Stuttgart and California.

Mercedes-Benz views the development of electric cars with battery and fuel cell drives for local zero-emission driving as a means of supplementing vehicles with high-tech internal combustion engines. Advanced diesel and petrol engines will remain important for automotive applications for a long time to come – not only for individual mobility in passenger cars – especially over long distances – but, more importantly, for freight transport in trucks. Electric vehicles, on the other hand, will increasingly be used in urban transport.

New Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell Gets Ready For Series Production

The environmentally friendly electric car has better a performance than a 2,0-litre petrol car and is fully suited for everyday driving

Mercedes-Benz is launching its first series-produced fuel cell car on the road: the new B‑Class F-CELL. The environmentally friendly electric car has better a performance similar to than a 2,0-litre petrol car and is fully suited for everyday driving. The zero-emission drive system consumes the equivalent of 3.3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). Production of the B‑Class F-CELL will commence in late 2009 with a small lot. The first of around 200 vehicles will be delivered to customers in Europe and the USA at the beginning of next year.

The new fuel cell vehicle offers everything that people expect from a Mercedes-Benz: High comfort and safety as well as no reduction in interior space and boot capacity. Customers will not have to sacrifice any driving pleasure either, because the electric motor has a peak performance of 100 kW/136 hp and a maximum torque of 290 Nm, which is available from the first rotation. It ensures that the B‑Class F-CELL, whose impressive dynamic handling properties are in some cases far better than those of a two-litre petrol car, gets off to an excellent start. Despite these qualities, the zero-emission fuel cell drive consumes the equivalent of only 3.3 litres of diesel fuel per 100 kilometres (NEDC). Thanks to its great range of about 400 kilometres and short refuelling times of around three minutes, the B‑Class F-CELL ensures local zero-emission mobility even for long stretches.

“2009 is the year in which we are establishing further milestones where sustainable mobility is concerned. The B-Class F-CELL is taking on a pioneering role as the world’s first fuel cell powered automobile to be produced under series production conditions”, says Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Development for Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The vehicle’s technological heart is the new generation of the compact, high-performance fuel cell system, in which gaseous hydrogen reacts with atmospheric oxygen at 700 bar to generate a current for the electric motor. The fuel cell system of the B‑Class F-CELL has a very good cold-start capability even at temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius. The drive system was completely newly developed versus the F-CELL A-Class presented in 2004, with Mercedes-Benz engineers achieving considerable improvements in output, torque, operating range, reliability, starting characteristics and comfort. The B-Class F-CELL now offers driving pleasure and day-to-day suitability at Mercedes level – without local emissions.

As in hybrids with combustion engines, the fuel-cell car uses a lithium-ion battery with an output of 35 kW and a capacity of 1.4 kWh to boost power and recover braking energy. Lithium-ion technology offers several advantages over conventional batteries, including compact dimensions, high performance, great recharge efficiency and a long service life.

The B‑Class F-CELL employs the unique sandwich floor architecture that is well-known from the A- and B-Class. The advantage of this design is that the drive components are located in the sandwich floor, where they are protected and don’t take up much space so that the vehicle’s interior remains fully usable and a boot capacity of 416 litres is available.

The B-Class F-CELL does not need to fear comparison where equipment is concerned either. Eye-catching features include a bonamite silver paint finish and exclusive light-alloy wheels in a 10-spoke design. In the interior, leather upholstery, seat heating, automatic climate control and the COMAND-system, as well as other features, continue to ensure a high level of comfort.

Same level of safety as in other Mercedes cars

No matter what the conditions, the operational reliability of the B‑Class F-CELL is of the same high level as in Mercedes vehicles with conventional combustion engines. The B‑Class F-CELL’s integrated safety concept takes the specific characteristics of the innovative drive system into account. The concept incorporates the expertise from the many years of experience Mercedes-Benz has had with fuel cell drives and high-voltage applications. Mercedes engineers have tested and optimised the drive-specific components’ safety in more than 30 additional crash tests.

Network of filling stations required for car’s widespread use

With more than 100 test vehicles and a combined total of over 4.5 million kilometres of trial testing, Daimler and Mercedes-Benz have the most extensive experience with fuel cell vehicles of any manufacturer worldwide. The B‑Class F-CELL is further testimony of this technology’s high level of development for automotive use. However, a comprehensive network of hydrogen filling stations still has to be set up before locally zero-emission driving can become a widespread reality. To make this possible, Daimler is cooperating with government authorities, energy utilities and oil companies in joint projects in places such as Hamburg, Stuttgart and California.

Mercedes-Benz views the development of electric cars with battery and fuel cell drives for local zero-emission driving as a means of supplementing vehicles with high-tech internal combustion engines. Advanced diesel and petrol engines will remain important for automotive applications for a long time to come – not only for individual mobility in passenger cars – especially over long distances – but, more importantly, for freight transport in trucks. Electric vehicles, on the other hand, will increasingly be used in urban transport.