Daimler aim for sustainable mobility through technical innovation

In 2007, Daimler invested euro 4.1 billion (US$6 billion) in research and development and euro 1.8 billion (US$2.6 billion) in environmental protection. In the coming years, the company will increase these budgets even further, investing almost euro 14 billion (US$20 billion) in research and development in the period up to 2010.

Daimler's "road map for sustainable mobility" consists of three pillars: the ongoing optimization of vehicles with innovative combustion engines; the additional improvement of efficiency through hybridization -- i.e. the combination of a combustion engine with an electric motor; and zero-emission driving with fuel cells and battery-driven systems.

Moreover, the company is also actively involved in the search for future energy sources, namely clean fuels for combustion engines as well as new energy sources for zero-emission driving, if possible from regenerative production.

Dr Zetsche (CEO) emphasizes that Daimler will not start building only small cars: "Our route to sustainable mobility is based on technological innovations, not renunciation." The company has the concrete goal of offering at least one model in each of the Mercedes-Benz core model series that is a leader in terms of consumption and emissions. In addition zero-emission driving, Daimler is also pursuing the goal of accident-free driving.

Source: Fuel Cell Today