Combustion Engines
Energy efficiency: drive further with every liter
Today there are 800 million vehicles on the road worldwide and their number will increase further. The aim must therefore be to make vehicles even cleaner and to strive to make even more efficient use of fossil fuels than ever before. Daimler has been facing up to this challenge for a long time: between 1990 and 2008, fleet fuel consumption of newly registered passenger cars and station wagons fell by 32 percent in Germany; it has been a similar story for commercial vehicles. The driving factors behind this include numerous innovations, such as common-rail technology (CDI) for diesel engines or spray-guided direct injection for gasoline engines. Low-friction and smaller engines featuring turbocharging and lightweight components as well as aerodynamically optimized bodywork also help to reduce fuel consumption. But this is just the beginning: Daimler engineers are working intensively on new drive concepts, such as the DIESOTTO engine.
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Smallest is best: The smart fortwo cdi is undeniably the world champion when it comes to fuel economy: the little runaround uses just 3.3 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers, which equates to just 88 grams of CO2 per kilometer. In 2008 America's environmental protection agency, the EPA, awarded it the title of the most economical car.
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From well to wheel: How energy-efficient a fuel ultimately is can be seen in well-to-wheel scenarios. They provide a comprehensive overall view by monitoring energy use and the associated emissions from the energy source up to the driven wheel.
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Drive and save: The human factor also plays a significant role when it comes to saving fuel. By following an economical driving style, fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 20 percent. Mercedes-Benz has been providing ECO driver training both to car drivers and truckers for a number of years. |
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