The Fuel Cell on Its Way to the Customer

* Fuel cell technology development to be further advanced in practical tests

* From 2003 on, the first of a total of 60 vehicles will be deployed in international cooperative ventures in small fleets in Europe, the USA, Japan and Singapore

The world's first vehicles from a fleet of fuel-cell-driven cars, introduced today at DaimlerChrysler corporate headquarters in Stuttgart-Möhringen, have been christened "F-Cell". They are fuel-cell-powered Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars which are going to be put to the practical test by customers in Europe and the USA in international cooperative ventures beginning in 2003. The development of this technology will now be furthered mainly in practical operation involving extensive field testing.

Prof. Ferdinand Panik, head of Fuel Cell Development at DaimlerChrysler: "With these vehicles, we become the first manufacturer to put fuel cell cars on the road in a small series, and we are proud of this. The hydrogen-powered F-Cell A-Class cars are genuine zero-emission vehicles which have left the research stage and are now going to field testing."

Since introducing the first NECAR (New Electric Car) in 1994, pioneer DaimlerChrysler has decisively advanced the fuel cell technology and presented 20 concept vehicles, thus demonstrating the technical feasibility of this groundbreaking propulsion principle employing the "fuel cell". The fuel cell functions as an electrochemical energy converter on board the vehicle to generate energy from hydrogen for an electric motor. The size and weight of the drive unit have been reduced considerably since then while performance has improved significantly.

Now, with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class "F-Cell", the first cars to grow out of the research stage go on the road. They are being manufactured under near-standard conditions and will be operated and tested by customers in everyday use within the framework of government-sponsored international cooperative ventures. They mark a milestone in automotive history and once again demonstrate the technological competence of the company. Alongside the Citaro city buses and the Hermes Sprinter, DaimlerChrysler now also presents fuel cell vehicles, in the form of the F-Cell A-Class, for the passenger car segment in order to make this technology available to private customers in the long term.

But there is still a great deal of developing work to do until the "F-Cell" becomes the vehicle for everyman. And it cannot be the sole concern of the vehicle manufacturers. Prof. Jürgen Hubbert, member of the DaimlerChrysler Board of Management with responsibility for the Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart Passenger Car Division: "The fuel cell technology gives us the opportunity to bring mobility together with environmental compatibility and so make a major contribution to society. To enable the fuel cell to go on the market in the foreseeable future, most importantly the fuel and infrastructure issues must be clarified in a worldwide initiative, jointly with the political community, the mineral oil industry and the energy sector. But development engineers, too, still face numerous challenges, referring mainly to the further reduction of weight and cost and the improvement of reliability and durability. In this field, manufacturers should cooperate more intensively so as to promote the breakthrough of this key technology."

Technical data of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class "F-Cell"

n the "F-Cell", the entire fuel cell system is accommodated in the sandwich floor of the long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Its tanks supply compressed hydrogen (350 bar) directly to the fuel cell system, giving the "F-Cell" a cruising range of about 150 kilometers. Hydrogen consumption is equivalent to 4.2 liters of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers.

The electric motor has an output of 65 kW, and its driveability particularly at low speeds is impressive. The vehicle accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in about 16 seconds and gets a top speed of around 140 km/h. This performance makes the "F-Cell" suitable for everyday use. Top this off with complete freedom from emissions and extraordinarily quiet operation. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class F-Cell is thus a vehicle with numerous advantages particularly in urban regions, for the driver, the environment and residents. - Source: DaimlerChrysler