Mercedes Goes Green
The Geneva auto show held last March might be dominated by BMW’s introduction of carbon dioxide-reducing stop-start versions of the 1 series, but it was never too late for Mercedes Benz to fight back in the battle for the greenest car.
“We will catch up and get ahead,” said Thomas Weber, head of r&d at Mercedes parent DaimlerChrysler in an interview.
According to Weber in a press conference held at London, together with the trademark high-quality Mercedes Benz Parts, they will launch the stop-start technology across its entire lineup, beginning with the A and B-class entry premium cars in September. Stop-start systems work by shutting down the engine when the car stops. The engine restarts when the driver lifts his foot off the brake or pushes the accelerator.
All carmakers are looking for ways to reduce CO2 because the European Commission plans to introduce legislation that cuts average European fleet emissions of CO2 to 130 grams per kilometer for new cars by 2012 from about 160 now.
Weber said Mercedes would use a different solution for its larger, rear-drive models. A Mercedes official who did not wish to be named said that for these models, the company will use a so-called ISG system, which is in effect, a flywheel that functions as both starter and generator. Such a system also can reduce engine vibration and provide fill-in torque to smooth out gearshifts. The official would not reveal the supplier of the system, but it has been hinted by other sources that Valeo will supply its belt-driven stop-start system in the A and B-class models.