Daimler AG is presenting 11 vehicles with alternative drive systems at this year’s IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, including three world premieres from the Mercedes-Benz brand. The world’s biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles uses environmentally friendly drive systems powered by gas, hybrid, and fuel cell technologies. The aim of these drive technologies is to drastically reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions in commercial vehicle traffic.

Mercedes-Benz will present three hybrid world premieres at the motor show, including the Axor BlueTec Hybrid truck, the first hybrid prototype for use in long-distance transport. For local transport applications, Mercedes-Benz has equipped the Econic with two hybrid variants: the Econic BlueTec Hybrid with diesel engine and the Econic NGT Hybrid, a concept with a natural-gas-powered engine.

Already in use by customers is the 12-ton Mercedes-Benz Atego BlueTec Hybrid, which logistics company DHL is currently testing in Germany. In Europe’s biggest fleet testing project, eight customers have been on the road with ten Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids since August 2008. The Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid has already proven itself on the Japanese market: the electric-diesel engine consumes up to 15 percent less fuel and releases as much as 40 percent fewer emissions. Making its European premiere is the concept Fuso Canter Eco-D, a light dump truck variant with a futuristic design and hybrid technology.

The Freightliner brand owned by Daimler Trucks of North America (DTNA) will be represented in Hanover with the Business Class M2e Hybrid truck. This vehicle is already in use by customers in the U.S.

With the Sprinter, Mercedes-Benz also is turning to alternative drives for vans. The Sprinter 316 NGT with natural gas drive delivers fuel savings of up to 30 percent and is as much as 80 percent quieter than a model with a conventional drive system. The second generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Plug-in Hybrid has been undergoing customer testing since summer 2008 and consumes up to 40 percent less diesel than a conventionally powered model.

As for buses, Mercedes-Benz is showing that zero-emissions vehicles can be a reality for public transportation, with two versions of the Citaro urban bus: customer testing of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid will begin at the start of 2009, while the 36 fuel cell-powered buses Citaro F-Cell on the road worldwide have already been driven more than two million kilometers – without producing any emissions.