Mercedes-Benz E-Class is in the environmental limelight for all the right reasons
It has been judged by the esteemed German organisation TüV Süd as a car of excellent eco-balance and been awarded a certificate of merit in accordance with ISO standard 14062. In granting this accolade TüV Süd acknowledges that the E-Class was designed from the outset as a car of strong green inclinations – not just in its own qualities but in the manufacturing process.
The Daimler group has embedded environmental protection into its entire operating philosophy, which explains why not only the latest E-Class but A-, B-, C- and S-Class have also received this sought-after TüV Süd 14062 certificate. In May 2009 the GLK was the first Mercedes-Benz SUV to join this group of winners. Appropriately, the E-Class was elevated on ‘International Environment Day’, 5 June 2009.
The environmental certificate is based on an exhaustive eco-balance for the E-Class, in which every environment-related aspect is assessed and documented. In addition to the all-new E-Class, Mercedes-Benz A-, B-, C- and S-Class have already received environmental certification from TüV Süd. Last month the GLK was the first Mercedes-Benz SUV to receive this coveted award.
International Environment Day commemorates the opening of the United Nations Environmental Protection Conference in Stockholm, which took place on 5 June 1972. The motto for Environment Day 2009, as marked by numerous campaigns and events, was “Environmental protection - for our health”.
In the development on the all-new E-Class, environmental certification of this model involved the examination of more than 40,000 individual, environment-related processes, which were analysed, quantified and assessed to produce an all-round eco-profile.
This profile forms the basis for the environmental certificate granted by TüV Süd.
For the E-Class - as in the case of all the other certificated Mercedes-Benz model series - this work began with the environmentally compatible product development process known as "Design for Environment" (DfE). Integrating "DfE" into the development process ensured that all environment-related aspects were already taken into account during the very earliest development phase.
Special "DfE" teams made up of engineers from a wide range of specialist departments ensured compliance with the declared environmental aims, for example in the areas of eco-balancing, disassembly and recycling planning, materials and process engineering, design and production.
Chief Environmental Officer of Daimler AG, Professor Herbert Kohler: "Daimler AG is an environment-oriented automobile company, and therefore considers itself to have particular responsibilities in this regard.
“We analyse the environmental compatibility of our models over their entire lifecycle - from production and many years of use right up to eventual recycling and disposal.
“This goes well beyond the legal requirements. These analyses not only provide the basic data for the environmental certification of the E-Class, for at the same time these detailed studies reveal further potentials which are used intensively in our research and development work,” he said.
Public access to the Environmental Certificate and its details is available in the "Life Cycle" documentation series at www.mercedes-benz.com
Environmental compatibility improved versus the preceding model series
Considering the entire lifecycle of the E-Class from production and 250,000 kilometres of operation to final disposal, the new model produces 14 percent fewer CO2 emissions than its predecessor at the time of market launch in 2002.
With respect to total nitrogen oxide emissions the E-Class is even more advantageous, as the reduction compared to the preceding model is no less than 20 percent.
This is primarily due to the new engines with their significantly lower nitrogen oxide emissions.
The overall energy balance is also positive, for over the entire lifecycle is has been possible to make 13 percent primary energy savings versus the preceding model. This corresponds to the energy contained in 3200 litres of petrol.
Comprehensive environmental concept making consistent use of recycled and renewable raw materials
The E-Class already meets the prescribed recycling rate of 95 percent by weight which becomes mandatory from 1 January 2015.
Even during the development phase, great attention was already paid to materials segregation and ease of disassembly for certain thermoplastic components such as the bumpers, wheel arches and the side member, underbody and engine compartment claddings.
All in all, 43 components with a total weight of 41.5 kilograms are made from recycled, high-quality plastics. This is an increase of 80 percent in the weight of approved recycled components compared to the preceding model.
Another aim was to obtain recycled materials from vehicle-related waste flows as far as possible, so as to create closed loops. Example: the recycled material used for the front wheel arches consists of reprocessed vehicle components such as the housings of starter batteries and bumper claddings from the Mercedes-Benz Recycling System, as well as waste material from cockpit production.
44 components in the E-Class with a total weight of around 21 kilograms are produced using natural materials. The boot flooring is made from a cellular cardboard structure, for example, and for fuel tank ventilation the engineers at Mercedes have also opted for a natural material. Coke obtained from olives is used as an activated charcoal filter. This open-pored material absorbs hydrocarbon emissions, and the filter regenerates itself automatically during vehicle operation.
Renewable raw materials also play an important part in the production of the seat upholstery fabrics: around 25 percent of their content is pure sheep's wool. This natural material has distinct comfort advantages over synthetic fibres, for wool not only has very good electrostatic properties, but also absorbs moisture more effectively, with resulting positive effects on seating comfort at high temperatures.
Less is more: the new engines of the E-Class
Three completely new four-cylinder diesel engines secure a leading position for the E-Class where environmental compatibility in day-to-day operations is concerned. These engines feature latest-generation common-rail direct injection, fast piezo-electric injectors and efficient exhaust gas recirculation.
The E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY with 150 kW and 500 Newton metres develops 25 percent more torque than the comparable preceding model with a V6 diesel engine, but consumes around 23 percent less fuel at 5.3 litres per 100 kilometres* (139 g CO2/km).
The new diesel engine generation also powers the E 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY with 100 kW and the E 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY with 125 kW, both of which likewise consume 5.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres*.
The diesel range is headed by the six-cylinder E 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY with an output of 170 kW, which consumes 0.5 litres less fuel per 100 kilometres than the preceding top diesel model.
Quarter three of 2009 will see the introduction of the E 350 BlueTEC, which features the world's best emissions control based on SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology. In this case an aqueous urea solution is used to reduce the nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gases of the diesel engine. The 155 kW version already meets the EU6 emission standard planned for 2014. All the other engine variants in the E-Class comply with the EU5 standard.
Mercedes-Benz equips the BlueEFFICIENCY petrol models E 200 CGI and E 250 CGI with the newly developed four-cylinder direct-injection engine with a displacement of 1.8 litres, turbocharging and variable intake and exhaust camshafts.
The E 200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY (135 kW) is equipped with the ECO start/stop function as standard, and consumes only 6.8 litres of premium petrol per 100 kilometres*. This equates to 159 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
The E 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY (150 kW), which has an automatic transmission as standard, develops a maximum torque of 310 Newton metres and consumes 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres*. This corresponds to 174 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
The engine range also includes the E 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY with direct petrol injection (215 kW) and the top-of-the-line E 500 (285 kW) with a V8 unit. *combined NEDC consumption
The low Cd value of 0.25 – which makes the E-Class the world's most aerodynamically efficient luxury saloon – also helps to lower fuel consumption.
This value is four percent lower than that of the preceding model, which in practical terms means that at a motorway speed of 130 km/h, there is a fuel saving of around 0.25 litres per 100 kilometres.
The aerodynamics have for example, been improved by an automatically controlled radiator shutter, which regulates the airflow into the engine compartment as required.
Changing annual motto for "International Environment Day"
To commemorate the opening of the United Nations Environmental Protection Conference in Stockholm on 5 June 1972, the UN declared 5 June "Environment Day".
Germany has officially recognised this date since 1976, following a decision by the conference of federal and state environmental ministers. To mark Environment Day, all government and municipal bodies, companies, environmental associations and other organisations are called upon to arrange events in line with the current motto which promote environmental awareness. Further information is available atwww.umweltbundesamt.de
The all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and coupé (where ‘E’ also in a sense stands for Environmentally-friendly) will be released in Australia in August.
