Go Green With BLUETEC

Under the heading of "Road to the Future," Mercedes-Benz showed the C300 BLUETEC HYBRID and S300 BLUETEC HYBRID that combine diesel engines with BLUETEC emission control technology with a compact hybrid module that functions as a starter motor and generator, allowing start/stop functionality.

The S300 BLUETEC HYBRID with 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) of torque consumes only 5.4 liters/100 km (approx. 43 mpg) and the C300 BLUETEC HYBRID with 224 horsepower and a combined torque of 560 Nm (413 lb-ft) consumes only 4.6 liters/100 km (over 50 mpg).

The S300 BLUETEC HYBRID is scheduled to go into production in 2010, followed by the C300 BLUETEC HYBRID in 2011. The S400 HYBRID that combines a 279-horsepower gasoline V6 engine with a hybrid module that delivers 20 horsepower will go on sale in 2009.

Mercedes also showed a B-Class F-Cell fuel-cell vehicle that is scheduled to go into production in 2010 and the F700 research vehicle with the DIESOTTO engine that is part diesel and part gasoline.

In 2010 Mercedes will launch the first series-production fuel-cell car that produces zero emissions when the B-Class F-Cell goes into small-scale production. The vehicle will be powered by next-generation more compact fuel-cell system that was first introduced in the F600 HYGENIUS research vehicle in 2005. The fuel-cell stack is about 40 percent smaller and produces 30 percent more power while using 16 percent less fuel.

The F700 research vehicle is powered by an engine that runs on gasoline but does not use the spark plugs during starting, idling or under full power. The engine's unusually high compression ratio and high pressure fuel injection allow the fuel to be ignited by the heat in the cylinder, similar to a diesel engine. The result in theory is a more efficient engine that runs cleaner with fewer emissions.

The efficiency is further enhanced by a mild hybrid system that automatically stops the engine when the vehicle stops and restarts when the driver is ready, with assistance from the electric motor and regenerative braking to recharge the batteries. All of these innovations mean that the F700 can be powered by a small 1.8-liter engine that produces only 127 g/km (per .62 miles) of CO2 emissions.