In Cologne, Mercedes-Benz Market Launch Manager for Mercedes-Benz hybrid and electric buses Ulrich Piotrowski, together with Mercedes-Benz buses brand spokesman Roman Biondi, accepted the first-ever EBUS award for the company's fuel cell Citaro hybrid buses.
Under the patronage of Dr. Peter Ramsauer, the Federal Minister for Transport, Building and Urban Development, the EBUS Award was given in recognition of the efforts that have been made to introduce electric buses into public local transport, and is intended as an incentive to drive forward innovative developments in this sector. In giving the award to the Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid, the judges recognized the fuel cell, lithium-ion battery and electric motor components of the bus, which enables it to travel over 300 kilometres without producing any emissions at all. The judges also noted the use of a fuel cell that had already been deployed in the passenger car segment by the German automaker. Furthermore, with more than a dozen buses in actual service (17 in fact), the awarding committee recognized that the Citaro fuel cell hybrid was not a mere technology demonstrator but an actual working vehicle in use in the public transport system.
Compared to previous generations systems, the Citaro hybrid bus now uses 50% less hydrogen, due to improvements like fuel cell stacking and lithium-ion cell hybridization. With these improvements, Mercedes-Benz has demonstrated that it is now possible to mass manufacture drive systems that are virtually maintenance-free and very long-lasting. Cars and buses running on electric power alone with fuel cells as energy generators are now very much a reality. In terms of greening our technologies to lessen the impact of transport systems on the environment, Mercedes has shown that is leading the way. The recognition of government and scientific groups of the company's efforts only serves to spur interest and gratitude on the part of consumers.
Despite having to retire at the 28th lap of the race, Gary Paffett was able to retain his lead over the drivers’ standings of the 2012 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season. The Mercedes-Benz driver’s 127 points off 2 victories and 7 podium finishes are still 3 points ahead of second-placer Bruno Spengler of BMW and 18 ahead of third-place and fellow Mercedes-Benz driver Jamie Green.
Spengler placed sixth at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo over the weekend, while Green finished tenth. The race winner was BMW’s Augusto Farfus, followed by Adrien Tambay of Audi and Mattias Ekstrom of BMW at second and third, respectively.
The last race of the 2012 DTM season―scheduled for October 21 at Hockenheimring―should be an exciting event, as how the drivers finish should determine who emerges at the top of the heap overall. Remember, 25 points are at stake for the race winner. For the runners-up, second gets 18 points while third gets 15 points.
"Now I'll just have to quickly forget this weekend and look to the future," Paffett said. "We proved with a one-two victory during the season opener that our DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé is very quick at Hockenheim."
The team standings still has Paffett’s HWA Team on top, ahead by 8 over BMW Team Schnitzer. Meanwhile, with 61 points total in Valencia, Audi has overtaken Mercedes-Benz in the manufacturers’ championship. Mercedes-Benz had a solitary point off Green’s tenth-place finish.
With all the championships at stake in the final race, count on all teams to work hard in the next few weeks and then give their all come October 21.
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