Daimler and UNEP call for emission-free mobility at Magdeburg environmental forum

04 July 2008

Mumbai: The fifth Magdeburg environmental forum hosted jointly by Daimler and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), kicked off in Magdeburg on 3 July. The two host partners called for establishing an infrastructure for electric and fuel-cell vehicles. The call is linked to extending Daimler's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UNEP, in existence since 2005, aimed at reinforcing dialogue and joint commitment on emission-free vehicles.

This year's conference has a participation of 250 international experts from the fields of science, technology, research, business and economics, as well as high-ranking politicians and representatives from environmental organisations, discussing solutions for road transportation of the future under the motto of Sustainable Mobility - The Post-2012 CO2 Agenda.

''A concerted effort of all parties will make the transition to the age of sustainable mobility as smooth and efficient as possible,'' said Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. "We have developed the technologies and are now in a position to introduce them on the market", Zetsche continued.

Achim Steiner, UN under-secretary general and executive director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said, "Climate change, congestion and the rising cost of fossil fuels demand transformative solutions to national and global mobility challenges. Car makers who seize the opportunities to harness cutting edge technologies and forge partnerships with innovative fuel makers up to city planners can make the transitions society so urgently need - those who do not may go the way of the steam engine and the pack horse."

On the road to sustainable mobility, Daimler is banking on innovative technologies for the drive systems of the future. The measures range from the optimisation of vehicles with modern internal combustion engines, through further increase in efficiency with hybridisation, up to locally emission-free mobility with vehicles powered by the fuel-cell or batteries. At the same time, Daimler is also committed to exploring future energy sources such as second-generation biofuels.

Thomas Weber, member of the board of management of Daimler AG and responsible for group research and development, Mercedes-Benz Cars, stated, ''As automotive manufacturer, we see our responsibility in the development of innovative technologies and components for emission-free mobility such as the lithium-ion battery or the fuel-cell stack in close cooperation with our suppliers. By introducing electric and fuel-cell vehicles on the market already in 2010, we are demonstrating our intention to fulfill this responsibility.''