Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid

Mitsubishi Fuso has certainly attracted attention with the Canter Eco Hybrid: the first series-production truck with hybrid drive from Daimler Trucks was the first truck in its class to meet the current, extremely stringent exhaust emission standards in Japan. Around 200 units have since been produced. An automated manual transmission saves weight.

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Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid

In the new year the first fleet trials with several hybrid trucks in Europe will commence with a European variant of the Canter Eco Hybrid from Japan. 10 exam­ples will prove their worth in a number of fleets over a period of three years. The new hybrid powertrain consists of a 145 hp Euro 4 engine combined with a 35 kW electric motor.

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Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Star Eco Hybrid

The Mitsubishi Fuso Aero HEV has been in daily operation in three municipal fleets in Japan. Five vehicles have so far driven 150,000 km each without problems. At the end of September Mitsubishi Fuso presented the second generation under the designation Aero Star Eco Hybrid. On the downsizing principle, the revised drive system technology of this serial hybrid now has a compact four-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of only 4.9 litres. Each of the two electric motors has an output of 79 kW. The diesel engine switches off at bus stops, and the bus moves off under electric power alone. All the peripheral units are now electrically driven.

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Freightliner M2 Hybrid

This medium truck from Freightliner demonstrates the possibilities of a hybrid-drive system: mounted equipment can also be electrically driven via a power take-off – quietly and without harmful emissions. In this case a platform hoist for mainte­nance work on power lines. This vehicle is currently undergoing fleet trials. Freight­liner is currently planning a series of 150 M2 units with a hybrid-drive system for 2008, with series production to begin in 2009. The diesel engine is of European origin and configured for the American exhaust emission standards.

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Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation Hybrid

A Freightliner chassis with a parallel hybrid-drive system for heavy vans in the typical urban courier and distribution sectors in North America is already in series production. The drive system has demonstrated its reliability and economy in extended customer trials over a period of three years: an availability rate of 99 percent shows the enormous capabilities of the hybrid-drive system. The diesel engine is based on the European OM 904, but has been configured for the North American exhaust emission standards. More than 100 vehicles are already in operation.

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Thomas Built Buses Hybrid C2 School Bus

With an annual production of around 15,000 vehicles, the American brand Thomas Built Buses is the world’s largest manufacturer of school buses. These vehicles are often in operation in very emissions-sensitive areas. The Thomas Built Buses Hybrid C2 School Bus with a hybrid-drive system combines economy with environmental compatibility. Like the heavy vans and trucks by Freightliner, Thomas Built Buses uses a parallel hybrid system. Owing to the additional electric drive system, the bus only requires a compact diesel engine. The electric components of the hybrid-drive system are accommodated in the frame area, and easily accessible.

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Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid 7.5 t

The prototype of the Atego Hybrid is now celebrating its world debut, and will short­ly enter customer trials. Its developers expect fuel savings of up to 20 percent thanks to the hybrid-drive system. The drive system draws on the experience gained in Japan, where Daimler Trucks has already put some 200 series-produced trucks with hybrid drive on the road.

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Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid 12 t

The Atego 12 t BlueTec hybrid is an excellent example of cooperation across the continents, and yet another world debut. And a perfect example of downsizing as well: the diesel-electric drive system has the output potential of a six-cylinder engine. Six vehicles are due to enter customer trials next year.

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Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid

World debut of the first articulated bus with a serial hybrid-drive system and wheel hub motors. The Citaro G Hybrid is an outstanding technological achievement. The ancillary units are electrically driven. This bus moves off under electric power alone, and can also cover short distances under environmentally friendly electric power. Its developers expect fuel savings of up to 30 percent compared to a diesel bus. The bus will enter customer trials next year, and a small production series is planned for 2009.

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Mercedes-Benz Citaro with fuel cells

36 Citaro buses with a fuel cell drive system have so far covered two million kilo­metres and 125,000 operating hours in ten major European cities, Beijing and in Australia. In view of this success, the most extensive trials of this kind have been extended for a further year in Europe. An availability rate of up to 95 percent has impressively demonstrated the future potential of the fuel cell drive system. The Zero Emission Vehicle is no longer just a vision, but already a reality.

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Mercedes-Benz Citaro CNG

Natural gas engines have already been an alternative to the diesel engine for several years, and several hundred Citaro and Citaro G buses with this technology are in operation throughout Europe. They meet the Euro 4 or EEV standards, and have been awarded the "Blue Angel" for their environmental compatibility. The engines have a high output thanks to turbocharging, and operate on the spark-ignition principle. A sophisticated refuelling infrastructure is still required for such vehicles.

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Mercedes-Benz Econic NGT

Short-radius distribution trucks and municipal vehicles operate in environmentally sensitive areas. The Econic NGT with a natural gas drive system meets the stringent EEV environmental requirements as standard, and also operates extremely quietly. Lean-burn technology and multipoint gas injection reduce fuel consumption, but the Econic NGT is capable of powerful acceleration thanks to turbocharging. Around 500 of these natural-gas-powered trucks are already in operation. Thanks to its environmental compatibility, the Econic with the appropriate body has the "Blue Angel" seal of approval.

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Orion VII HybriDrive

The world market leader for buses with hybrid-drive systems comes from North America, is called Orion and is part of Daimler Buses. Orion produced its first hybrid buses as early as 1995, and more than one thousand units of its current model are in regular daily service. The number is set to increase to more than 1500 hybrid buses during the coming year. The serial hybrid-drive system reduces fuel con­sumption by around 25 percent. Orion hybrid buses have proved to be even more reliable than comparable diesel-powered buses, and collectively cover an annual mileage of around 50 million kilometres.

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Mercedes-Benz Actros 1846

The enormous development potential of the classic diesel engine is demonstrated by the Mercedes-Benz Actros, Axor and Atego trucks with engines featuring BlueTec technology. SCR technology with exhaust gas aftertreatment by an oxi­dising catalytic converter and the addition of AdBlue provides the basis for optimi­sed combustion and compliance with exhaust emission standard Euro 5. Accor­ding­ly Mercedes-Benz trucks are recognised as the both the most economical and clea­nest trucks, as numerous tests and practical fleet experience have confirmed. In series production since the end of 2004, around 100,000 trucks with this econo­mical BlueTec technology are already in operation throughout Europe.

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