OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Mercedes-Benz Blue-Tec: taking the lead in fuel economy and environmental
compatibility
• Mercedes-Benz offers the widest range of commercial vehicles with
Euro 4 compliance (mandatory since October 2006)
• More than 2 billion kilometres already covered by Blue-Tec
vehicles, and over 35,000 such trucks sold, mean Mercedes-Benz has the most
experience in the field
• With an eye to the future, most customers are opting for the
Blue-Tec 5 versions
Stuttgart, Nov 13, 2006
With innovative Blue-Tec diesel technology now in use across all its truck
ranges, DaimlerChrysler is in full compliance with the Euro 4 emissions
directive for commercial vehicles which has been in force since October 2006.
All
sectors of the short-radius distribution, long-distance transport and
construction
industries, together with operators of special-purpose vehicles such as local
authorities, are able to find exactly the right vehicle with Blue-Tec diesel
technology for their requirements. This means that all Mercedes-Benz trucks,
from the robust Mercedes-Benz Vario large van and the Mercedes-Benz Atego, the
Mercedes-Benz Axor and the Mercedes-Benz Actros long-distance transport truck
to the Econic and the various Unimog series as well as the Actros SLT
heavy-duty tractor now feature a single, standard-fit system. In fact, the vast
majority of Axor and Actros customers are already choosing the optional
future-proof
Blue-Tec 5 version.
DaimlerChrysler has been offering Blue-Tec diesel technology since the
beginning of 2005. The introduction of the new technology has exceeded all
expectations: over 35,000 vehicles fitted with Blue-Tec have been sold to date.
In
Europe, Mercedes-Benz Blue-Tec vehicles have already been driven some 2 billion
kilometres by satisfied customers. The popularity of the new Blue-Tec diesel
technology is clear: Mercedes-Benz accounts for approximately two thirds of all
Euro 4/Euro 5 trucks currently on the road. Within the competitive environment
Mercedes-Benz, with Blue-Tec, has the greatest expertise in SCR technology. In
the meantime all European truck manufacturers – at least in the heavy-duty
truck sector have decided in favour of SCR technology.
Blue-Tec – the most economical technology for achieving emission compliance
The Mercedes-Benz trucks from DaimlerChrysler are amongst the most economical
on the market. The low-pollutant Blue-Tec diesel technology for Mercedes-Benz
commercial vehicles is an efficient way of offsetting rising fuel prices and
offers a currently unrivalled combination of ecological and economic benefits.
Mercedes-Benz Blue-Tec trucks offer significant fuel savings of some 2 - 6%
over the old Euro 3 technology and 5 - 7% over alternative Euro 4 technologies.
For Axor and Actros long-distance transport vehicles with an average annual
mileage of 150,000 kilometres, the new technology can realistically offer fuel
savings of between1500 and 2000 litres a year. International comparison tests
carried out by trade magazines have shown that in this way this technology,
and particularly the very early availability of the especially low-pollutant
Euro 5 versions, has benefits not only for the environment but ultimately also
for operators.
Customers who opt for Blue-Tec 5 vehicles can start to enjoy numerous
economic advantages from a very early stage and, what's more, they can enjoy
them
well into the future. For example, 40-tonne models which comply with the Euro 5
Directive ahead of schedule qualify for a reduction of up to 17 per cent on
German motorway toll charges. Whereas other vehicles will pay 12 cents per
motorway kilometre until October 2009, Euro 5 trucks will pay just 10 cents per
kilometre over the same period. Depending on the total distance travelled, the
total toll savings for Euro 5 trucks over more than four years can easily
amount
to several thousand euros. And it's not just German operators but also the
many European carriers using transit routes though Germany that will benefit.
Furthermore, in other European countries too, a wide range of financial
incentives are planned or already in place for particularly low-pollutant
commercial
vehicles.
On the short-radius distribution front, too, significant savings can be made
by operators using the Blue-Tec 4 Atego. In-house tests demonstrate that the
fuel consumption with this vehicle is up to 8% than with EGR-based competitor
solutions in the same weight class. This adds up to total savings of over €
5000 over the lifecycle of the Blue-Tec Atego.
Blue-Tec: future-proof technology for emission compliance
The new emission limits laid down by Euro 4 and above cannot be met without
the use of exhaust aftertreatment systems. Two basic technological approaches
can be distinguished: one involves reducing nitrogen oxides inside the engine,
with downstream particulate control, while the other is based on downstream
treatment of the nitrogen oxides using Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR),
which goes by the name of Blue-Tec at DaimlerChrysler. As a global corporation,
DaimlerChrysler has extensive experience in both technologies. In view of the
general market environment in Europe, it has decided in favour of Blue-Tec
technology. Blue-Tec offers customers optimal economy, reliability and
future-compatibility. The basic principle of Blue-Tec’s SCR technology is that
nitrogen
oxides are converted into non-toxic nitrogen and water vapour in a catalyst
using ammonia as a reducing agent.
The ammonia is provided in non-toxic form, as an odourless aqueous solution
known as "AdBlue". The establishment of a Europe-wide network of public-access
refilling sites for AdBlue has already made great strides. AdBlue is now
available at more than 4,000 sites, from the Arctic Circle to southern Spain
and
from Ireland to Moscow. Haulage companies can also use depot-based AdBlue
refilling stations or the flexible 200-litre AdBlue container. A vehicle with a
90-litre AdBlue tank has an operating range of up to 7500 10,000 kilometres.
What's more, with Mercedes-Benz Blue-Tec technology this is not compromised by
the
need to operate on low-sulphur fuel or by any reduction in oil change and
maintenance intervals.
As well as the current success of this technology, for DaimlerChrysler
Blue-Tec is also an investment in the future, since it will provide the basis
for
meeting emission standards in the longer term. With Blue-Tec, DaimlerChrysler
is
already a step on the way to meeting the future Euro 6 standards, likely to
come into force for all commercial vehicles registered in Europe in 2012.
Blue-Tec will also have increasing relevance outside Europe too: in three to
four
years' time the NAFTA markets and Japan will be introducing the EPA 10 and JP
09 standards respectively. SCR technology will provide the basis for meeting
these standards too.
Blue-Tec and the Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle range
Starting in 2005, Blue-Tec was phased in successively as an option throughout
the Mercedes-Benz Actros long-distance transport truck range. V6-engined
Blue-Tec 4 and 5 Actros long-distance transport trucks were the first to come
onto
the market in February 2005. These were then joined by the V8-engined
Blue-Tec 4 and Blue-Tec 5 models.
The long-haul Axor with an OM 457 in-line engine is available in Blue-Tec 4
and Blue-Tec 5 versions. The new OM 906 LA engines are Euro 4-compliant.
Service intervals for the long-haul Axor are up to 100,000 kilometres, a
further
indication of the Axor's cost-efficiency.
At the RAI 2005 International Commercial Vehicle Show a wide range of
Blue-Tec 4 engines for the Atego short-radius distribution truck were
presented.
These engines not only feature low emissions; they are also highly
cost-efficient.
Customers appreciate their excellent lifecycle costs, due to factors like
their low fuel consumption, and the fast and flexible service when it comes to
maintenance and repairs. The robust Vario large van is now also available with
powerful diesel engines featuring Blue-Tec 4 technology. The AdBlue tank's
capacity of 18 litres means it only needs filling roughly once every three
refuelling stops.
The Mercedes-Benz Econic, too, has been available with Euro 4-compliant
diesel engines based on the innovative Blue-Tec technology since October 1,
2006.
In the Econic too, this technology reduces not only exhaust emissions but also
fuel consumption. Since July 2006 all Unimog vehicles have likewise been
equipped with this advanced, eco-friendly technology, raising the high
technical
standard of the Unimog even further. On expeditions, in particular, one of the
benefits of Blue-Tec technology for the Unimog is that it does not require the
use of low-sulphur fuel.
Copyright © 2006, DaimlerChrysler AG
