Press Information

Date:
December 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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The more recent hybrid history at Daimler AG

Modern times in hybrid research began in 1969. At the Frankfurt

International Motor Show in that year, Daimler-Benz introduced the
first prototype of the OE 302 hybrid-electric bus. The project sought to
optimize the drive system of line-service buses mainly for the purpose
of reducing exhaust emissions in downtown areas. While in these
sensitive zones the buses traveled on current from batteries, in less
densely populated areas the serial hybrid drive system switched to a
diesel engine that supplied energy to the electric traction motor by
means of a dynamo.

Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany

The successor to the OE 302 was presented in 1978 at the “transport Page 10
‘78” trade fair. The OE 305 hybrid-electric bus again featured an
electric traction motor driven by a diesel engine via the generator. The
drive system capacity was designed so that the bus attained the
performance of a comparable diesel-powered O 305 urban bus model,
the heavy batteries notwithstanding. Despite the heavy load on the
batteries, they survived an average of 800 recharges.

In the course of 1979, thirteen hybrid-electric buses, model OE 305,

commenced operation in the local public transport systems of Stuttgart
and Wesel. By 1983, the buses had done 1.3 million kilometers of
service. Again in 1979, Daimler-Benz introduced a second hybrid bus:
In addition to the standard diesel engine, the duo bus, or dual-powered
bus, was equipped with an electric motor supplied with current from
an overhead (trolley) wire. While the electric motor was used in the
city, in rural areas the bus ran on the diesel. Still in 1979, three of the
vehicles took up trial operation in Esslingen in scheduled service.
Over the next few years, more than 50 of these vehicles were used in
regular service internationally. A second variant of the duo bus only
had an electric traction motor which got its energy either from the
trolley wire or from batteries. Hybrid buses were steadily improved
during the following years.

1982 - Hybrid as alternative to the electric car

Again and again, tests with pure electric drives for passenger cars
showed that the operating range simply was too small due to the low
energy density of the batteries. So in 1982, a first concept car featuring
a serial hybrid drive system and direct front-wheel drive via two
magneto-electrically excited motors was brought out by Mercedes-
Benz. Hybrid drive systems in sedans of the C-Class in the 1990s

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represented further steps in development. To these cars the engineers Page 11
applied both the principle of the parallel hybrid drive (55 kW/75 hp
diesel engine and 20 kW/27 hp electric motor) and the serial hybrid
drive.

1996 - Return of the wheel hub motor

To power the low-floor O 405 NÜH interurban hybrid bus of 1996,

Daimler-Benz decided in favor of three-phase AC wheel hub motors. A
diesel engine powered the generator of the hybrid bus, which supplied
current to the traction motors and recharged the battery on interurban
routes. In urban areas the bus ran on electricity from the battery. Four
of these low-emission low-floor buses were used in urban and
interurban service in Bavaria.

The trials were intended to show a way in which especially

environmentally compatible vehicles could be operated in local public
transport. The progress achieved in the development of hybrid buses
since the OE 302 was demonstrated among other things by the battery
of this vehicle. The accumulator, which weighed 3.5 tons in the early
hybrid buses, now only weighed 800 kilograms, but developed a
similar output. The weight savings were made possible by the use of
sodium nickel-chloride batteries as energy storage units.

1998 - Mercedes-Benz E-Class Hymatic

A marketable hybrid system must be capable of installation in an

existing vehicle if the cost is not to be too high versus automobiles
with conventional drive systems. “Minimum design changes,
maximum added benefits” were already achieved by Daimler-Benz
Research in developing the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Hymatic, a

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passenger car equipped with a hybrid drive system in 1998. The Page 12
Hymatic was based on an E-Class with 4MATIC automatically
engaging four-wheel drive and gasoline engine (150 kW/204 hp). The
power of the internal combustion engine was transferred to the rear
axle. The front wheels were driven by an electric motor (26 kW/35
hp). Following the “through-the-road” (TTR) principle, the outputs of
both units first came together on the road.

Consumption and emissions of the Hymatic were improved by as

much as 15 percent over the sister model. But it was the combination
of the drives that mainly proved promising. Depending on power
requirements, either the electric motor was engaged to supplement the
internal combustion engine (for overtaking and in four-wheel-drive
operation), or the gasoline engine alone powered the vehicle (standard
mode), or the Hymatic moved only by means of the electric motor (for
short distances at low speeds).

1999 - A-Class HyPer

The A-Class HyPer study of 1999 focused on the performance of the

alternative drive system. This is obvious from the name of the vehicle,
a combination of “hybrid” and “performance.” Unlike the 1998
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Hymatic, in this design the transversely
installed internal combustion engine (1.7 liter CDI diesel,
66 kW/90 hp) drives the front axle, while the electric motor
(26 kW/35 hp) acts upon the rear axle. The developers dispensed with
downsizing the internal combustion engine from the basic model. The
result was a very sporty hybrid car with four-wheel drive as an option.
The HyPer sprinted from 0 to 100 km/h in only eight seconds with a
boost from the electric motor, whereas the standard version of the A
170 CDI took 13 seconds to reach the same speed. The HyPer owed

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this additional zip to the good torque of the electric motor. Overall, Page 13
despite its nimbleness the HyPer consumed less diesel fuel than the
production model’s 4.9 liters.

2000 - Vario and Atego with hybrid drive system

In 2000, Mercedes-Benz also presented the Vario van and the Atego
truck with hybrid drive systems. Instead of a “through-the-road”
system, the power of both drive units was transmitted to a common
drivetrain in these parallel hybrid concepts. The diesel engine of the
Vario 814 D Hybrid had an output of 100 kW (136 hp); that of the
Atego 1217 Hybrid, 125 kW (180 hp). The diesel engines were
assisted by electric motors with outputs of 55 kW (75 hp) and 60 kW
(82 hp), respectively. Depending on requirements, the maintenance-
free lead-gel batteries of the vehicles were charged either by the
vehicle’s diesel engine or with mains electricity (by means of an
onboard charger).

On the other hand, the two hybrid commercial vehicles were not
equipped with the hybrid drive system merely to optimize
consumption and emissions. The possibility of operating both vehicles
in purely electric mode particularly recommended them for noiseless,
zero-emission operation in pedestrian zones, health resorts, or on the
grounds of hospitals, clinics and trade fairs. In contrast to purely
electric vehicles with their limited range, the hybrid commercial
vehicles Vario and Atego also were convincing performers in intercity
service. Owing to the interaction of the engine and the electric motor,
the mixed drive ensured dynamic performance and low fuel
consumption.

2001 - smart city coupe HyPer

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More driving pleasure, more comfort: When the smart city coupe Page 14
HyPer was introduced in 2001, the company’s smallest hybrid concept
car set new standards. The prototype had an electric motor (20 kW/27
hp) that was combined into a single unit with the three-cylinder diesel
engine (30 kW/41 hp) because of the restricted space. The little hybrid
car accelerated more briskly than the production model from a
standing start and while on the move. Despite 85 kilograms added
weight, it also consumed less than three liters of diesel fuel (getting in
excess of 78 mpg, about 13 percent better than the production car). An
automatic start-stop function and a regenerative braking system
contributed to the result.

Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany

2002 - Mercedes-Benz M-Class HyPer Page 15

A road test report on the M-Class HyPer in 2002 described it in the

words, “Put adrenaline in your tank.” A start from standstill clearly
demonstrated the perfect combination of the two drives in the hybrid
car. Up to a speed of 15 km/h, the 45-kW (61-hp) electric motor, fitted
between engine and transmission, propelled the vehicle forward with
its high torque. Then the five-cylinder common rail diesel of the ML
270 CDI (120 kW/163 hp) cut in, and the combined accelerating
power of both units termed “booster” pushed the offroad vehicle ahead
with full force.

The electric motor in the M-Class HyPer was a “disc motor,” so called
because of its short overall length. The shape of the powerful disc
made it easier to integrate this additional unit in the drivetrain of
existing vehicle configurations. This aspect became all the more
important the closer the prototypes with hybrid drive system came to
series production. For this reason, in the hybrid ML 270 CDI the
engineers accommodated the water-cooled nickel metal-hydride
battery and the battery management system in the spare wheel recess
so as not to compromise interior space.

But the disc motor was more than a space-saver. The motor, which
engineers distinguish from the conventional, long stretched-out
electric motor (called “sausage motor”) also served the hybrid vehicle
as starter and generator. So the M-Class HyPer could do without an
alternator and starter motor, which made the car lighter and simplified
drivetrain design. The innovative motor and its controls also permitted
particularly good utilization of the braking energy to obtain electricity.
The regenerative performance (i.e. the electric energy recuperated
from the kinetic energy per unit of time) of the ML 270 CDI HyPer

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was about twice as good as that of earlier hybrid studies. In total, Page 16
measured according to the “New European Driving Cycle” (NEDC),
the M-Class HyPer saved up to 20 percent diesel fuel compared with
the production ML 270 CDI. And the car’s driving dynamics, thanks to
the support of the electric motor, put it on a par with the next larger
M-Class model.

The M-Class HyPer owed its sporty, cultivated driving feel also to the
electronically controlled clutch, which ensured continuous,
harmonious interaction of the two drive units with the six-speed
manual transmission. The clutch particularly balanced the speed and
torque of the two units, gently engaging (“tow-starting”) the diesel
engine after the electric drive had accelerated the car to 25 km/h from
full stop, or providing a powerful boost for overtaking on the
motorway. The clutch also connected the two when the battery was
being recharged by the diesel engine during constant-speed travel. In
this case the electric unit worked as a generator.

2002 - Unimog E-Drive

For the Unimog, a commercial vehicle legend, the researchers

developed a serial hybrid variant in 2002. The 130-kW (177-hp) diesel
engine of the Unimog E-Drive drove a generator of 100 kW (136 hp)
capacity which supplied the electric traction motor and the drives of
the implements with energy. A particularly fascinating aspect of this
solution was the possibility of driving without a transmission: by
means of the electric motor the speed of the advanced Universal-
Motor-Gerät, or universal working machine, could be continuously
varied from a slow walking pace to 85 km/h. The great versatility of
the Unimog was fully retained in the E-Drive variant: electric

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equipment as well power takeoffs for hydraulic tools could be used Page 17
with the hybrid vehicle.

2003 - F 500 Mind

When Mercedes-Benz introduced the F 500 Mind research car at the

Tokyo Motor Show, the laboratory on wheels caused quite a stir. More
than a dozen innovations had been embodied in the car. The
developments included new assist systems like a night vision system
and multi-vision display, a new interior concept, and the novel door
technology featuring a B-pillar that could be unlatched to open the rear
doors toward the back.

But the most important development, as far as the research car’s

consumption and drivability was concerned, was to be found under the
hood. The most powerful hybrid drive system to date in a research car
developed 234 kW (318 hp) and 860 Newton meters of torque.

The combination of the two drive units – the designers termed this
solution “P2 configuration” – assured the F 500 Mind the excellent
performance figures of a powerful hybrid automobile. For the hybrid
drive system, the V8 diesel engine from the S-Class (displacement of
four liters, 184 kW/250 hp, maximum torque of 560 Newton meters)
and a 50-kW (68-hp) electric motor were used. The electric motor was
fed by a lithium-ion battery with two kilowatt-hours storage capacity
and an electric potential of 300 volts. The battery was charged during
braking by having the electric motor function as a dynamo driven by
the wheels through the five-speed automatic transmission. If
necessary, the battery could also be recharged while the vehicle was
traveling at a constant speed. During acceleration, however, the

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electric motor functioned as a booster to give the research car its Page 18
dynamic performance.

Extensive practical tests with the F 500 Mind have provided valuable
knowledge about the everyday practicality of the hybrid drive system.
Operational tests showed that in the city the hybrid drive system
conspicuously reduced consumption compared with the internal
combustion engine. The results clearly reflected the benefits of the
engine cutoff function at traffic lights (the electric motor then handled
the subsequent start-off) and the recuperation of braking energy.

In test series based on the NEDC cycle, the F 500 Mind achieved a
20 percent reduction in consumption. Ten percent of this was due
solely to the utilizing of synergies between the two drives: During
start-off, or moving at a walking pace, or while parking, the engine
management system shut off the diesel engine, and the F 500 Mind
rolled over the road as a pure electric car. The recuperation of electric
energy during braking reduced consumption by another five to seven
percent. Finally, the load point shift of the diesel engine, which the
hybrid drive system allowed to operate under optimum conditions,
saved another four percent fuel.

2004 - Vision GST 2

The Vision GST 2 presented in January 2004 at the North American

International Auto Show in Detroit was not simply the successor to the
Vision GST of 2002, because the new study of a Grand Sports Tourer
no longer was powered by a gasoline engine, but by the forward-
looking hybrid V8 diesel plus electric motor, used in similar form also
in the F 500 Mind. The study car with four-wheel drive and six-speed
automatic transmission couples the 184-kW (250-hp) four-liter diesel

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engine to a 50-kW (68-hp) electric motor. The nickel-metal-hydride Page 19
battery was placed in the rear of the car.

The Vision GST 2 afforded very dynamic driving pleasure; its fuel
consumption was lower and its emissions were improved compared
with the V8 diesel without electric motor. The two drive units
accelerated the study from standstill to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds with
860 Newton meters of torque; the top speed was limited electronically
to 250 km/h. The decision when diesel engine and electric motor
would work together was made by the computer controls taking into
account the best possible utilization of the hybrid drive system for
low-consumption, low-emission operation. At the same time, the
driver experienced impressive accelerating performance owing to the
intelligent combination of the two drives.

2005 - Near-launch road trials of Hybrid Sprinter with CDI and

electric motor

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter introduced in 2004 was to be built both

as a “plug-in” hybrid and with a conventional hybrid drive system.
“Plug-in” means that the vehicle’s batteries can be charged via the
mains network. This suggests itself mainly for vehicles which
frequently operate with purely electric drive. They can “refuel” mains
electricity in between uses or at night.

The Hybrid Sprinters of both designs have an electric motor between

automatic transmission and clutch, which is supplied by a nickel-
metal-hydride battery. In emission-sensitive areas in town centers or in
buildings, the Sprinter can run exclusively on the electric drive for
noiseless, zero-emission operation. Depending on the proportion of
electric operation, the consumption of diesel fuel is reduced by ten to

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fifty percent versus the base model. But, of course, if the electric mode Page 20
is used to a great extent, the batteries have to be recharged from the
mains network. It takes around six hours to charge a completely empty
accumulator.

The 70-kW (95-hp) electric motor of the Sprinter with “plug-in”

technology also serves as a generator which develops 40 kW (54 hp)
to operate tools and other equipment. The Sprinter with hybrid drive
system without charging socket combines its diesel with a smaller
electric motor (30 kW/41 hp) and a smaller battery. The drive
nonetheless suffices for noiseless, zero-emission operation in
pedestrian precincts and similar areas; the range is three or four
kilometers.

2005 - S-Class Hybrid

The next generation of hybrid drive system was presented in January

2005 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in
Detroit. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class Hybrid is powered by a V8 diesel
engine and two electric motors. Together these units develop as much
as 241 kW (328 hp). This was a new high for hybrid vehicles. With the
concept of a hybrid S-Class, in Detroit the company introduced the
basis for the further development of hybrid technology, which
according to a Memorandum of Understanding dating from 2004 was
to be pursued jointly with General Motors. In this alliance of equal
partners, DaimlerChrysler mainly intended to concentrate on the
development of luxury-class rear-wheel-drive automobiles with hybrid
drives. Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management and
responsible for Research and Technology as well as for Development
in the Mercedes Car Group, declared: “Our solution brings its
advantages to bear mainly for powerful engines. So we simultaneously

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ensure high driving dynamics and comfort along with appreciably Page 21
reduced fuel consumption.”

The hybrid power plant of the S-Class presented in Detroit pointed in

this direction. The power of the mixed drive comes from an eight-
cylinder CDI diesel engine (191 kW/260 hp) and two electric motors
with a joint output of 50 kW (68 hp). With the second electric motor,
the diesel can be engaged almost imperceptibly when the car is on the
move. The ride comfort of the hybrid vehicle is just as convincing as
its acceleration: from standstill to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds. The
combination of electric drive and 7G-Tronic automatic transmission
makes it possible to operate the S-Class Hybrid to a large extent in the
diesel engine’s optimum range while enjoying high comfort.

The new hybrid drive system thus enables favorable consumption

figures also on longer journeys at constant speeds. The mixed drive’s
advantages for starting off, parking, stop-and-go traffic and moving at
low speeds through traffic-reduced zones, can be taken for granted.
The fuel consumption in various test cycles is between 15 and 25
percent less than that of the standard diesel engine.

2005 – S-Class DIRECT HYBRID and BLUETEC HYBRID

At the 2005 Frankfurt International Motor Show, two concept cars

based on the new S-Class (W 221) were displayed: The DIRECT
HYBRID with gasoline engine and electric motor, and the BLUETEC
HYBRID combining a BLUETEC diesel engine with an electric
motor. In both concept cars, the electric motor develops six kW (8.2
hp), serves as starter and start-off booster and can also be used as a
generator for converting kinetic into electric energy. In the
development of the latest hybrid generation, Mercedes-Benz focused

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on creating a powerful and compact drive system. The result is a so- Page 22
called powersplit hybrid concept, an intelligent synthesis of serial and
parallel hybrid. Unlike previous single-mode systems, the patented
two-mode hybrid uses a significantly smaller electric motor. The
system is thus more compact while on the other hand, the two-mode
hybrid covers two operating ranges with maximum power output and
reduced fuel consumption.

This two-mode hybrid was developed within the framework of a

cooperative venture with General Motors, which has meanwhile also
been joined by BMW with the signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding. The. In this consortium named Global Hybrid
Cooperation, Mercedes-Benz focuses on the development of premium-
class hybrid cars with rear-wheel and four-wheel drive.

2005 – 500 hybrid city buses for New York

In October 2005, DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America

received an order for 500 Orion VII hybrid city buses for the local
public transport operations of New York. At the time, it was the largest
order for hybrid buses on a global scale. New York City Transit took
delivery of 216 units, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA
Bus) of 284 units. Deliveries began in the second quarter of 2006. It
was the third hybrid bus order placed by the city of New York with
Orion after orders of 200 and 125 units, respectively, at an earlier
stage. Orion started operating the first hybrid buses in the early 1990s
and is the world market leader in this field with some 1,500 vehicles
sold.

Prior to the RAI Commercial Vehicle Show in Amsterdam in October

2005, the company presented hybrid technology in the

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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter and the Page 23
Freightliner/Eaton distribution vehicle – all of which were about to be
launched into the market.

2006 – Canter Eco Hybrid from Mitsubishi Fuso

In early July 2006, the Mitsubishi Fuso affiliate presented the Canter
Eco Hybrid for immediate availability in the Japanese market. At the
time, it was the world’s most environment-friendly light-duty truck
from large-scale production, with a payload of two to three tons
depending on the version. It was also the first light-duty truck which
complied with the Japanese emission legislation which came into force
in August 2007 – one of the world’s most stringent emission norms,
specifying emission limits which the Canter Eco Hybrid undercuts by
41 percent where nitrogen oxides are concerned and by 46 percent
where particulates are concerned. Over and beyond this, the vehicle is
the most fuel-efficient of all Japanese hybrid commercial vehicles,
with reductions in fuel consumption being as high as 20 percent
compared to models with conventional engines and being in part
attributable to brake energy recuperation. The reduction in fuel
consumption is particularly great in stop-and-go traffic and in
distribution transport.

The key element of the parallel hybrid system is a newly developed,

small-volume turbocharged diesel engine with a displacement of three
liters (92 kW/125 hp). It works together with an extremely narrow
electric motor (35 kW/48 hp) which doubles as a generator. The
energy storage unit is an advanced lithium-ion battery. Power is
transferred to the wheels by an automated transmission named Inomat-
II which operates without gearshift lever and clutch pedal having to be
operated.

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As the Group’s Center of Competence for hybrid commercial vehicles, Page 24
Mitsubishi Fuso is responsible for the development of progressive
hybrid technologies which can be incorporated in commercial vehicles
in different markets. The new Canter complements Mitsubishi Fuso’s
range of hybrid vehicles and underlines the company’s position as
technology leader in this segment.

Large-scale production of a hybrid city bus, the Mitsubishi Fuso Aero,

also commenced in 2006. Prototypes were tested during the 2002
World Cup, and the production bus was launched in 2004.

2006 – Hybrid Sprinter in near-launch trial operation

A modified version of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with hybrid drive

started near-launch trial operation in September 2006 – a European
premiere. The European branch of logistics service provider FedEx
Express took delivery of a vehicle for use in day-to-day distribution in
and around Paris. The Sprinter 316 CDI is powered by a 115-kW
(156-hp) diesel engine and a 70-kW (95-hp) electric motor. The latter
is installed between internal combustion engine and automatic
transmission. It derives its energy from a lithium-ion battery which it
recharges in its capacity as generator on the move, during braking and
on downhill stretches. In addition, the batteries can also be recharged
when the vehicle is not in operation, for instance at a socket overnight
– which is known as the plug-in option. In purely electric operation,
the hybrid vehicle with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tons
has a range of up to 30 kilometers. In this mode, the Sprinter moves
along extremely quietly and with zero emissions – a significant
advantage in sensitive areas such as pedestrian precincts or halls. The
lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 15 kilowatt hours is installed
under the floor and therefore does not reduce the load capacity. Thanks

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to the intelligent combination of two drive systems, the Sprinter can be Page 25
operated in the optimal range in any given situation. When full power
is required and the driver puts his foot down, engine and motor operate
jointly.

2007 – Extended cooperation with BMW

In March 2007, the company extended its cooperation with BMW in

the field of hybrid drive systems. The two equal partners develop a
hybrid module for rear-wheel-drive passenger cars in the premium
segment. It is planned to market the system from 2010. Thomas
Weber: “Cooperation in the field of innovative drive systems makes
sense – not only technically but also economically – because the two
partners make similar demands on the premium segment and are thus
able to strengthen their competitive position. The idea is to launch
propulsion technologies which are convincing in terms of efficiency,
performance and comfort – especially in this category of cars.”

The hybrid module, which in engineering terms ranks among the

“mild hybrids”, is to be developed at the two partners’ engine and
drive system development locations in Germany. The development
teams of both manufacturers work closely together in this field. The
module will be adapted to the specific brand to ensure the
individuality of the different models concerned.

2007 – New hybrid bus based on the Citaro

A new hybrid bus was announced in May 2007. Trial operation of the
Mercedes-Benz Citaro versions is planned to commence in 2008; the
production launch is scheduled for 2009. The diesel-electric
propulsion system promises to reduce fuel consumption and carbon

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dioxide emissions by 20 – 30 percent. It is a serial hybrid which Page 26
permits zero-emission operation in battery mode only over short
distances. This drive system will be installed in the Citaro G
articulated bus and in this configuration will be unique on a global
scale.

In the Citaro Hybrid, the diesel engine drives the generator to produce
electricity as required. Maintenance-free lithium-ion batteries
accommodated on the roof of the Citaro store this electricity as well as
the current generated by means of recuperation. The bus wheels are
driven by four electric wheel hub motors on the central and rear axles
of the vehicle. At 320 kW (435 hp), the total output of the wheel hub
motors is generously high even for an articulated bus operated under
harsh conditions.

2007 – smart fortwo hybrid drive

In July 2007, smart introduced its fortwo hybrid drive. The

combination of electric motor and internal combustion engine makes
the car even more economical and environment-friendly than the
conventional fortwo. Measured according to the New European
Driving Cycle, the fuel consumption of the smart fortwo hybrid drive
powered by a diesel engine improves from 3.3 to 2.8 liters/100 km
(from 71 to 84 mpg), and carbon dioxide emissions decline from 88 to
77 grams per kilometer. The carbon dioxide champion is thus setting
new standards for the so-called three-liter car (meaning fuel
consumption of three liters or less per 100 km / 78 mpg or more).

The smart fortwo hybrid drive has a 33-kW (45-hp) diesel engine and
a 20-kW (27-hp) electric motor which is powered by a nickel-metal-
hydride battery with a capacity of one kilowatt hour. The battery is

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accommodated underneath the driver’s seat; it is recharged by the Page 27
electric motor and by means of brake energy recuperation. Engine and
motor can operate jointly or separately. In combined operating mode,
the smart is a power-pack with output of 53 kW (72 hp) and torque of
160 Newton meters. The interruption in torque flow during gearshifts,
especially when changing from first into second gear, is compensated
by the simultaneous operation of both drive systems. As a result, the
smart fortwo hybrid drive completes the sprint from standstill to
100 km/h some four seconds earlier than the smart fortwo cdi. The
hybrid concept is thus a unique combination of motoring pleasure,
economic efficiency and environmental compatibility.

In July 2007, the company made another announcement which may

appear to be somewhat less spectacular at first glance but is no less
momentous. In the course of efforts revolving around climate
protection, all vehicles are developed with the option of hybridization
from now on.

2007 – smart fortwo micro hybrid

Since October 2007, a 52-kW version of the smart fortwo with

economy-enhancing start/stop function has been coming off the
assembly line in Hambach: the smart fortwo micro hybrid drive. From
the end of this year, it will be available as coupe and convertible in all
three lines – pure, pulse und passion. The propulsion system uses idle
periods to switch off the engine and temporarily prevent fuel
consumption, pollutant and noise emissions from occurring in the first
place. The key element of this system is a special belt-driven starter-
generator (rSG) which supplies the onboard network with electricity
and doubles as a starter motor. It is capable of starting off the gasoline
engine comfortably and in fractions of a second as soon as the driver

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takes his or her foot off the brake pedal. The conventional starter Page 28
motor, acting on the flywheel of the crank assembly, can therefore be
dispensed with. In combination with slightly modified transmission
ratios, this strategy leads to reductions in fuel consumption in the
range of some eight percent in the NEDC. Consumption thus drops
from 4.7 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (50 mpg) by some 0.4
liters to approx. 4.3 liters per 100 kilometers (55 mpg). Depending on
traffic conditions (slow-moving traffic), reductions in the range of 13
percent are conceivable. The carbon dioxide emissions
correspondingly decline from 112 to some 103 grams per kilometer.

The high-performance electronic system ensures that the internal

combustion engine is switched off in idle, for instance at traffic lights,
level crossings or in stop-and-go traffic. In the interest of fuel
economy and comfort, the electronic system switches off the engine at
a speed below eight km/h (five mph) provided the driver actuates the
brake pedal and thus signalizes that he or she intends to stop. As soon
as the driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal, the engine is
restarted. In this way, starting off without delays is ensured. A switch
in the center console, in front of the gearshift lever, can be operated to
deactivate the start/stop function as required – until the next time the
engine is switched off and on by means of the ignition key.

Further information from Daimler is available on the internet at:

www.media.daimler.com

Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany