In continuation of DaimlerChrysler's leadership
in the development of viable fuel cell vehicles, the company announced it will
collaborate with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and UPS
with the goal of creating the first fuel cell delivery vehicle
demonstration program in North America.
"DaimlerChrysler is working on several fronts to put fuel cell powered
vehicles on public roads," said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, president and chief
executive officer of the Chrysler Group. "We're pleased to be working
closely with the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy to bring substance
and tangible progress to President Bush's vision of accelerating the
development of hydrogen-powered vehicles."
The demonstration program will be based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the EPA
National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory. The DaimlerChrysler fuel
cell vehicles will be used in normal UPS delivery operation on an
established delivery route, and they will be fueled at a hydrogen refueling
station built by the EPA.
An F-Cell, a Mercedes-Benz A-Class powered by a Ballard fuel cell, will be
delivered in 2003 for use as an express-delivery vehicle by UPS. In 2004, a
fuel cell Dodge Sprinter will be delivered as the first medium-duty fuel
cell commercial delivery vehicle to be put in service in North America.
The company says this program will enable DaimlerChrysler to continue evaluating fuel cell
vehicle attributes, such as fuel economy, cold-weather operation and
driving performance. It also will allow the EPA, DaimlerChrysler and UPS to
gain considerable operational experience with a fuel cell fleet vehicle and
hydrogen refueling station.
DaimlerChrysler's efforts to put fuel cell vehicles into real-world use, in
addition to this agreement include, 60 F-Cell vehicles and 30 Citaro fuel
cell buses that the company will have on public roads worldwide by 2004.
"Fuel cell vehicles are a part of DaimlerChrysler's balanced portfolio of
environmental initiatives which includes improved gasoline engines, clean
diesels, hybrid vehicles, and a wide array of improved renewable fuels to
lessen our nation's dependence on oil and further reduce carbon dioxide
emissions," said Bernard Robertson, senior vice president, engineering
technologies and regulatory affairs. Robertson also mentioned that
DaimlerChrysler has built more than one million flexible-fuel vehicles to
date, capable of operating on renewable corn-derived fuel. The company has
announced two clean diesel passenger vehicle products--the Jeep Liberty
diesel and Mercedes E-Class diesel--and a hybrid Dodge Ram pickup truck
production program, all launching in the United States next year.
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