E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID awarded Environmental Certificate; 23% less CO2 emissions over its life cycle than diesel version
29 August 2012
Along with its market launch, the diesel Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID (earlier post) has obtained its Environmental Certificate in accordance with ISO standard 14062. This award is based on a Life Cycle Assessment, in which the independent inspectors of TÜV Süd subject the vehicle to comprehensive tests covering the entire life cycle. The luxury-class model is rated in energy efficiency class A+.
Over its entire life cycle, from production and use over 250,000 kilometers (155,000 miles) through to recovery, the Mercedes E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID gives rise to 23% less CO2 emissions than a comparable E 300 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY.
This is largely a result of the significant reduction in fuel consumption. Compared with the equivalent E 300 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY diesel model, the consumption of the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID has been reduced from between 6.1 and 5.8 l/100 km (38.6 to 40.6 mpg US) to between 4.3 and 4.2 l/100 km (54.7 to 56 mpg US), equivalent to about 109 g CO2/km, depending upon the tires fitted. This represents a reduction of up to 28%.
The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID meets the mandatory recycling rate of 95% by weight that will come into force on 1 January 2015. The future requirements of vehicle recycling were already taken into account at the development stage, and closing material loops plays an important role here, not only in terms of the metals used. The vehicle makes use of 43 components with a total weight of 41.5 kg, some of which have been produced from recycled plastics.
In addition, the E-Class also features 44 components with a total weight of 21 kg which have been produced using natural materials. The floor in the luggage compartment, for example, is made of a honeycomb cardboard structure, and olive coke is used as an active filter.
This is an important improvement for a large heavy car. At 56 mpg it puts CAFE to shame?
Posted by: HarveyD | 29 August 2012 at 05:43 AM
@Harvey,
Indeed, but it is also an expensive, luxury car for the few.
The question is can they achieve this level of economy with "normal" (Ford / GM / Toyota) price cars in 13 years time ?
My guess is they will - once they really start trying.
At the very least, they just have to follow the lead set by the luxury car makers (and Toyota) (and Volkswagen) etc.
Posted by: mahonj | 29 August 2012 at 05:56 AM
Next logical step would be plug-in version.
Posted by: Darius | 29 August 2012 at 11:32 PM
mahonj....good observations. Areion-Belgium has produced the first ultra light weight car body with composites and 3D printed technology. That (future) efficient manufacturing technology will make multi-layer ultra light weight composite bodies a reality by 2020 or sooner.
Areion used an aluminium ultra light frame. Composite frames with 3D printing and/or incorporated frame/body will be next. The beauty of that technology is that design and production can be upgraded very quickly at little or no expense.
Future lower cost batteries using 3D printed graphene sheets and containers will use that technology. Sony-Japan has already produced 100+M long graphene sheets with their 3D printer. Graphene sheets can be used for both anodes when properly treated to produce future batteries with much higher performances. A few hundred 3D printers operating on a 24/7 basis will produce enough graphene sheets for many thousand batteries.
Lighter car frame-body combined with lighter higher performance batteries will produce affordable future long range BEVs.
Posted by: HarveyD | 30 August 2012 at 11:36 AM