Press Information

Date:
November 2007
Contact:

Josef Ernst Phone: +49 (0) 711/17-7 64 77

Mobile: +49 (0) 160/86 19 898

Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany

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Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany

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Timeline: Alternative drive systems at

Mercedes-Benz

1898: The Berlin-Marienfelde motor vehicle and engine factory,

precursor of the Mercedes-Benz Berlin plant, presents its first electric
vehicle.

1899: The Berlin-Marienfelde motor vehicle and engine factory offers

a range of passenger cars, vans, and small buses with electric drive
systems.

January 29, 1905: Wilhelm Maybach takes out a patent for a “vehicle
drive system, consisting of an explosion machine and a compressed-air
engine.” It is intended to remedy the design drawbacks of the internal
combustion engine.

1907: The Mercedes-Electrique is unveiled in Vienna. It has electric

wheel hub motors.

September 14, 1908: In 1908, the Berlin fire brigade decides to

deploy a new platoon comprising four Mercedes-Electrique vehicles.

1943: Mercedes-Benz offers a wood gas burner ex factory that can be

installed in different vehicles on request.

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1957: The Mercedes-Benz LG 315 truck uses a multi-fuel engine that, Page 8
according to the operating instructions, can run on gasoline, kerosene,
petroleum, diesel, shale oil, lubricating oil, and even crude oil.

September 11 – 21, 1969: At the Frankfurt International Motor Show

(IAA), the company presents the OE 302 city bus as an experimental
vehicle. It features a combined drive system: in the city, it is powered
by electricity, while in rural areas it runs with the help of a generator
driven by a diesel engine. Mercedes-Benz also unveils the C 111 with
a Wankel engine. In 1970, this is followed by the improved C 111-II
version.

December 17, 1971: Mercedes-Benz unveils the experimental OG 305

natural gas bus with a transport capacity of 113 persons.

March 1972: Mercedes-Benz unveils the LE 306 with battery

exchange technology, the first concept for a modern electric van.

November 1974: A Mercedes-Benz 450 SL (R 107 series) is presented

to the public with a spark ignition engine optimized for use with
methanol.

1975: Mercedes-Benz presents the world’s first hydrogen-powered

van with hydride accumulator as an experimental vehicle.

April 1975: In Esslingen, an experimental bus is unveiled for

combined battery/overhead wire operation. Public transport testing
starts the same day on the duo bus, which is based on the
Mercedes-Benz OE 302.

October 22 – 25, 1978: The Mercedes-Benz OE 305, unveiled at

“transport ’78,” the international trade fair for transport technology,

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features a combined diesel-electric drive system. Page 9

1979: Mercedes Benz presents various vehicles whose engines are

powered by the alcohol fuels ethanol, methanol and M15 (15 percent
methanol, 85 percent gasoline). Practical testing begins in Berlin.

May 1979: As part of a five-year field test, the first four of a total of
thirteen OE 305 hybrid buses with combined diesel/battery operation
start regular public transport service in Stuttgart. Seven more vehicles
follow in September, in the town of Wesel.

June 1, 1979: In Esslingen, public transport service testing begins on

five Mercedes-Benz duo buses based on the O 305. Two of these test
buses are designed for combined battery/overhead wire operation,
while the other three, one of which is an articulated pusher bus based
on the O 305 G, are intended for diesel/overhead wire operation.

November 28, 1979: In Berlin, Daimler Benz AG presents its

activities in the field of alcohol fuels. A fleet of 80 Mercedes-Benz
experimental vehicles takes part in a large-scale test as part of the
Federal German Ministry of Research and Technology (BMFT) project
entitled “Alternative drive systems”. In the fall of that year, 208 vans
powered by M15 (85 percent premium, 15 percent methanol)
commence testing. Test passenger cars equipped to operate on pure
methanol or pure ethanol are put into service the following year.

Late 1970s: Mercedes-Benz tests the gyro drive with a flywheel

storage unit.

October 13 – 20, 1980: At the “Drive Electric ‘80” exhibition in

London, Daimler-Benz presents a 307 E electric van to the
international public. As part of a large-scale test, 18 of these vans are

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deployed in Berlin and Stuttgart under everyday conditions. Page 10

1981: In a test vehicle based on an O 305 bus, Mercedes-Benz unveils

a new type of methanol drive system for commercial vehicles that
features an energy recovery system.

September 1981: A gas turbine is one of several systems tested in the

Mercedes-Benz “Auto 2000” research car.

1982: Production of the Mercedes-Benz O 305 GT trolley bus

commences; it is intended for operation entirely with electricity.

April 1982: Mercedes-Benz begins testing electric drives in passenger

cars with the station wagon from the 123 series.

October 8, 1984: A large-scale test on hydrogen as a fuel begins in

Berlin. The gas is used in optimized spark ignition engines.

June 24 – 29, 1985: A solar-powered vehicle from Mercedes-Benz

and Alpha Real triumphs in the “Tour de Sol” rally. It has solar panels
fitted on the roof.

June 10 – 14, 1986: The “transport ‘86” exhibition in Munich, the

international trade fair for transport technology, sees the debut of the
O 405 T trolley bus. Like the O 405 GTD duo bus, it has a new form
of electric drive technology that was jointly developed with the
companies Dornier and AEG.

1988: Mercedes-Benz introduces the first vans with electric drives

onto the market, for example the 308 E (T1 series).

March 8 – 18, 1990: One of the innovations at the Geneva Motor

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Show is a Mercedes-Benz 300 E-24 for variable methanol-gasoline Page 11
hybrid operation, whose engine management system automatically
adjusts to the mix ratio of the fuel components.

March 7 – 17, 1991: The latest electric experimental car based on the
compact class (201 series) makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show;
it features two electric motors powered by sodium/nickel chloride
batteries, each of which drives a rear wheel. One advantage of the new
drive design is that heavy mechanical components are dispensed with.

March 5 – 15, 1992: A “flexible-fuel” experimental car based on the

Mercedes-Benz 300 SE (140 series) is presented at the Geneva Motor
Show. The engine can run on alcohol and gasoline fuels.

March 1992: A large-scale test starts in the city of Freiburg with local
taxi companies using rapeseed biodiesel in their vehicles. Focusing
particularly on environmental protection, for a period of one year the
cab drivers fill up their tanks only with transesterified rapeseed oil,
instead of mineral-based diesel fuel.

1992: At the Olympic Games in Barcelona, the MB 100 E is deployed

as a back-up and transport van. It is equipped with a DC shunt-wound
motor.

October 2, 1992: A demonstration project that is planned to run for

four years starts on the island of Rügen to test the latest generation of
electric vehicles. Some 20 Mercedes-Benz vehicles take part.

1993: A prototype based on the C-Class (202 series) is developed, with

an asynchronous electric motor as drive system and a Zebra high-
energy battery as energy storage unit.

Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany

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April 13, 1994: Testing starts on the Mercedes-Benz NECAR 1 (New

Electric Car), the world’s first fuel-cell vehicle.

1994: Mercedes-Benz presents the O 405 N low-floor bus with a

natural gas engine as a production vehicle.

September 1994: At the Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover,

Mercedes-Benz presents the prototype of the O 405 GNTD, a low-
floor duo bus with a diesel engine and electric wheel hub drive.

May 14, 1996: Daimler-Benz unveils the NECAR 2 fuel-cell vehicle.

It is based on the Mercedes-Benz V-Class.

1996: Following in-depth testing, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter NGT

(Natural Gas Technology) is launched on the market.

May 26, 1997: The NEBUS (New Electric Bus) makes its debut in
Stuttgart. It has seating for 34 and standing room for 24 passengers.
On a full tank, the NEBUS has a range of approximately 250
kilometers.

September 10, 1997: NECAR 3, the latest fuel-cell research vehicle,

is not supplied with hydrogen from a tank; instead, it produces it on
board, from methanol.

March 5, 1998: As part of a two-day innovation symposium at the

Stuttgart Mercedes Forum, Mercedes-Benz presents an A-Class
prototype with electric drive powered by a ZEBRA high-performance
sodium-nickel-chloride battery. A large portion of the technical
equipment is housed in the sandwich floor.

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1998: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class HYMATIC has a hybrid drive. The

car is based on an E-Class with 4MATIC four-wheel drive and
gasoline engine (150 kW/204 hp). The power of the internal
combustion engine is transferred to the rear axle, while the front
wheels are driven by an electric motor (26 kW/35 hp).

September 3 – 10, 1998: One of the models premiered at the

Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover is a Mercedes-Benz Cito
medium-sized city bus with low-floor technology and diesel-electric
drive.

March 17, 1999: The NECAR 4 research car is fitted with further
improved fuel-cell drive. Key data: room for five persons, a range of
over 450 kilometers, and a top speed of 145 km/h.

1999: Presented as a hybrid vehicle, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class

HyPer has a transverse-mounted internal combustion engine (1.7-liter
CDI diesel, 66 kW/90 hp) that drives the front axle, and an electric
motor (26 kW/35 hp) that drives the rear axle.

2000: In 2000, DaimlerChrysler presents a Vario van and an Atego

truck with hybrid drive systems. The diesel engine in the Vario 814 D
Hybrid develops 100 kW (136 hp), while that in the Atego 1217
Hybrid develops 125 kW (170 hp). These diesel engines are backed up
by electric motors with capacities of 55 kW (75 hp) and 60 kW (82
hp), respectively.

November 1, 2000: The A-Class NECAR 4a runs on pressurized

hydrogen. The optimized electric motor generates 55 kW/75 hp.

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November 7, 2000: NECAR 5 is unveiled in Berlin. The entire fuel- Page 14
cell system including the reformer is accommodated in the sandwich
floor of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, so that all the interior space is
now available for passengers and their luggage. Its top speed is over
145 km/h on a full tank; the car has a range of over 400 kilometers.

2001: The HyPer smart city coupe sets a new benchmark. The
prototype has an electric motor (20 kW/27 hp) which is combined with
a three-cylinder diesel engine (30 kW/41 hp) into a single unit because
of the restricted space.

July 26, 2001: A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with fuel-cell drive is

tested in everyday operation in collaboration with the Hermes delivery
service company. In a first test phase, the prototype is initially
deployed in the greater Stuttgart area, and later in Hamburg following
training of the Hermes drivers.

December 2001: NECAR 5 is subjected to rigorous long-distance

testing in California. In two days, the fuel-cell vehicle covers 1,111
kilometers.

2002: Mercedes-Benz unveils the M-Class HyPer with hybrid drive.

The electric motor is a “disc motor” with a comparatively short length.

2002: For the legendary Unimog commercial vehicle, the corporate

Research division develops a serial hybrid variant in 2002. In the
Unimog E-Drive, a 130-kW (177-hp) diesel engine drives a 100-kW
(136-hp) generator which, in turn, supplies power to the electric
traction motor and drive systems for the various implements.

October 2002: DaimlerChrysler unveils the A-Class F-Cell and

announces a small series of 60 units. From 2003, they undergo

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practical testing around the world in government-funded international Page 15
cooperative ventures. Also supplied for each deployment is a hydrogen
filling station. At the same time, the first of 33
Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses are presented with zero-emission
fuel-cell drive systems, which are also used from 2003 on demanding
routes by the local public transport authorities of ten different cities,
with testing initially running for two years.

May 19, 2003: DaimlerChrysler, the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA), and UPS (United Parcel Service) launch a
demonstration project for practical testing of fuel-cell vehicles for
daily commercial delivery services.

Mid-2003: DaimlerChrysler presents the world’s first synthetic diesel

fuel manufactured from biomass, called SunDiesel.

October 2003: The F 500 Mind research car debuts at the Tokyo
Motor Show with the most powerful hybrid drive in a research vehicle
to date. It develops 234 kW (318 hp) and has a torque of 860 Nm.

2004: DaimlerChrysler and General Motors decide to collaborate in

the field of hybrid systems development. BMW subsequently joins the
consortium named Global Hybrid Cooperation.

January 2004: The Mercedes-Benz Vision GST 2 research car

presented at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in
January 2004 features a hybrid drive. Researchers hope to make
important findings for large-scale production.

November 2004: On the Idiada test circuit near Barcelona, Spain, an

A-Class F-Cell is driven for 24 hours non-stop, interrupted only for
refills. It covers just under 8,500 kilometers without any problems, at

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an average speed of approximately 120 km/h. Page 16

2005: The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with hybrid drive commences

testing in distribution transport under practical conditions.

March 2005: The fuel-cell drive is used in the sports tourer class:
Mercedes-Benz presents the B-Class with an advanced drive system at
the Geneva Motor Show. Its electric motor produces over 100 kW.

September 2005: At the Frankfurt International Motor Show,

Mercedes-Benz unveils the DIRECT HYBRID (gasoline engine and
electric motor) and the BLUETEC HYBRID (diesel engine and
electric motor) concept cars based on the new S-Class (221 series).

October 2005: The Mercedes-Benz F 600 HYGENIUS research car is

unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. The fuel-cell unit installed in this
car is around 40 percent smaller than those used in earlier
experimental vehicles, and it is now fitted in a specially designed car,
instead of in a vehicle body from large-scale production.

October 2005: DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America

wins an order to deliver 500 hybrid Orion buses to the New York
transport authorities. Orion is the market leader in this segment.

2006: Testing begins of the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 NGT

van with bivalent natural gas drive.

March 2006: At the AMI (Auto Mobil International) motor show in

Leipzig, smart presents the production version of the forfour lpg
(liquefied petroleum gas) with liquefied gas drive.

July 5, 2006: Mitsubishi Fuso presents the Canter Eco Hybrid light-

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duty truck with a parallel hybrid system and commences production. It Page 17
is the world’s most environment-friendly light-duty truck in
production.

July 2006: In the UK, a pilot project is launched with the smart fortwo
ev (electric vehicle). The company offers roughly 100 cars to selected
British customers within the framework of a leasing scheme.

September 2006: A modified version of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

van with hybrid drive commences customer testing at logistics
companies operating in the greater Paris area.

January 2007: The first fire-fighting vehicle with fuel-cell drive

commences daily operations: A Mercedes-Benz A-Class F-Cell is
delivered to the fire brigade in Sacramento, California, where it is to
be deployed as a command vehicle.

March 2007: DaimlerChrysler and BMW expand their cooperative

venture in the field of hybrid drives. As equal partners, they develop a
hybrid module for rear-wheel drive passenger cars in the premium
segment.

May 21, 2007: DaimlerChrysler announces a new Mercedes-Benz

hybrid bus. The prototype of the Citaro with diesel-electric drive is
presented in the fall of this year, while the market launch is scheduled
for 2009.

July 6, 2007: As part of its efforts in the field of climate protection,

DaimlerChrysler announces that, from now on, the company will
develop all its cars with a hybrid drive option.

July 6, 2007: smart presents the fortwo hybrid drive. With the help of

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the electric motor, the diesel engine consumes only 2.9 liters per 100 Page 18
kilometers (81 mg).

October 15, 2007: Production of the smart fortwo micro hybrid starts
in Hambach. It features a start-stop system which reduces the gasoline
engine’s consumption to 4.3 liters per 100 kilometers (55 mpg).

Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany