* Integrated approach: Commitment and effort by all those with a stake in “auto-mobility” is required

    * Powertrain development: Fuel cells offer greatest long-term potential for achieving emission-free driving 

Mobility provides fundamental value to society and is also a key factor for prosperity in a modern economy. Responsible and forward-looking action must therefore be geared toward achieving sustainable mobility – which is why sustainable mobility is an essential corporate goal at DaimlerChrysler. In view of expected developments in the energy sector, it is clear that the present use of largely fossil-based primary energy sources will not allow for sustainability over the long term. “That also applies to the transport sector, with its nearly complete focus on crude oil resources for fuel production,” says Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler AG, responsible for Group Research & Mercedes Car Group Development. “DaimlerChrysler is therefore calling for a paradigm shift in energy policy, which will require a high amount of effort.”

Sustainable mobility can be achieved only if three objectives are consistently pursued:

1. Drive systems with greater efficiency. To the extent that fuels continue to be derived mainly from fossil sources, they must be used more efficiently, which means they must be conserved in order to protect limited resources and reduce CO2 emissions. Although renewable energy sources are theoretically unlimited in their availability, they too must be utilized conservatively – not least due to the relatively high costs associated with their production.

2. CO2 neutrality. The dangers associated with climate change can only be counteracted by substantially reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The achievement of this objective also requires greater utilization of renew-able energy sources that are largely, or even completely, CO2-neutral.

3. Greater use of renewable resources. Expanded exploitation of alternative energy sources in regions of the world that today are highly dependent on imported fossil fuels will loosen up the dependency and increase the security of supply. Greater use of renewable resources will also safeguard the long-term availability of primary energy for the private and commercial transport sectors.

Our way to sustainable mobility

Energy structures and mobility concepts cannot be changed overnight, because both represent areas in which alterations made to achieve sustainability will lead only gradually to an effective shift in energy consumption patterns. This also means that development strategies suitable for bringing about such changes must include short, medium and long-term outlooks and will require great patience on the part of everyone involved. “DaimlerChrysler is pursuing such a strategy under the motto of “Our Way to Sustainable Mobility”, says Dr. Herbert Kohler, Vice President Group Research and Advanced Engineering Vehicle and Powertrain and Chief Environmental Officer of DaimlerChrysler. “The strategy represents a road map for all development goals that can be achieved today, tomorrow, and further in the future – and the achievement of each objective marks a step along the way.”

Automakers like DaimlerChrysler cannot embark upon this long road by themselves; their job is to design more efficient powertrain concepts that produce fewer emissions, and to bring to market new concepts that offer the potential for achieving great increases in efficiency. Other parties must become involved, however, if the individual objectives and ultimate goal are to be achieved. For example, fuel producers and energy companies must improve their products and develop new fuels at competitive prices. That’s because optimized and innovative drive systems cannot fully exploit their benefits without the help of suitable energy sources and higher-quality fuels. Energy producers and technology developers must gradually expand capacity for the production of renewable energy, and also improve manufacturing processes in order to make such forms of energy available in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices. Additional infrastructures must also be established that will make the new fuels available on a broad basis. Last but by no means least, governments must create the conditions that will help pave the way for sustainable mobility.

In the area of fuels, DaimlerChrysler is supporting a range of developments that represent milestones on the road to sustainable mobility. Current fuels, such as diesel fuel and gasoline, can be further improved in terms of quality. This, in turn, would make it possible to implement combustion-engine optimization measures that are already technically possible. Mixing first-generation renewable biofuels with conventional fuels already offers the possibility of reducing CO2 emissions and lowering the consumption of primary fossil energy sources. Synthetic fuels that are produced from fossil sources but are also renewable (second-generation biofuels) represent the next step toward large-scale implementation of customized engine-fuel concepts, and thus further efficiency gains and lower CO2 emissions. At the end of this process should be the exclusive or primary use of renewable fuels that bring the goal of CO2 neutrality within reach. For several reasons, DaimlerChrysler believes that hydrogen is the ideal energy source for achieving this long-term objective.

In conjunction with the transformation of the fuel mix described above, DaimlerChrysler is pursuing short, medium and long-term objectives in the area of powertrain development. Even after more than one hundred years of continual improvement, there is still great potential for increasing the efficiency of combustion engines and reducing their emissions. In fact, our engine developers prove this is the case with every new engine they turn out. Today, with the range and amount of synthetic fuels expected to increase in the coming years, engine developers have even more options for making improvements. Through the development and use of hybrid concepts in applications that bring their advantages to the fore, DaimlerChrysler will create additional possibilities for reducing CO2 emissions over the next few years.

For the long term, however, no drive concept offers greater potential on the road to sustainable mobility than fuel cells powered by pressurized hydrogen. The company therefore began focusing on this promising concept at a very early stage, and its current practical testing program (see press information: Fuel cell powertrain – progress on the way to series production) has put this innovative drive system well on the way to market launch. Moreover, with the F 600 HYGENIUS (see press information: F 600 HYGENIUS), DaimlerChrysler researchers have demonstrated how performance capability, power density and suitability for everyday use can all be consistently increased through the new powertrain concept. This will enable DaimlerChrysler customers in the not too distant future to enjoy not only sustainable mobility, but also unlimited driving pleasure.