Mercedes-Benz will build its own production of fuel cell stacks in Canada
Preparation for the next generation of propulsion systems fuel cell
Mercedes-Benz today announced that the company will set up its own production of fuel cell stacks in Canada. In doing so, it will include the development and production of one of the key components of electric vehicles to fuel cell in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Professor Herbert Kohler, head of the "e-Drive" and future mobility division, said: "To consolidate our position as a leader in the field of alternative propulsion systems, we provide a direct access to INVOLVED cles technologies. Following the systematic development of our expertise in matters of batteries in collaboration with Accumotive GmbH in Germany, this decision represents another major step on the road to emission-free driving. "
Gunter Walz, vice-president of planning projects of international cooperation at Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: "The decision was made to create and build a new production plant under the aegis of Mercedes-Benz Canada because it proves to be the next logical step is in the context of the successful cooperation with partners Daimler in Vancouver. "In February 2008, the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC) in Burnaby, east of Vancouver, was founded as a joint venture between Daimler (50.1%), Ford (30%) and Ballard (19, 9%). This is the stack of fuel cells currently used for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL and current city bus Citaro hybrid fuel cell has been developed.
To cover the entire value chain, from research to the development of materials technology manufacturing for large scale production the creation of this new plant aims.
The construction of a factory for the production conceived stacks of fuel cells for vehicles will start immediately on a new field of 2000 square meters located in Burnaby. The completion is scheduled for early 2012. Suite has a phase of progressive testing and commissioning, production in small series of fuel cell stacks next generation starting in 2013. Besides providing power and increased energy efficiency, these stacks of fuel cells offer the advantage of being compact. This next generation of fuel cell stacks has also lend itself to use aboard the C-Class sedans like the E-Class or Mercedes-Benz.
The president and general manager of Mercedes-Benz Canada, Marcus Breitschwerdt, said: "We are delighted to accept the responsibility of producing a fuel cell stacks in addition to our Canadian operations of wholesale and retail of parts and service. Our colleagues at AFCC were the pioneers of the development of fuel cell stacks in Canada and now we are extremely proud to be actively involved in the following chapters determinants of the establishment of a small production series of stacks of fuel cells. "
Since 2009, Mercedes-Benz manufactures the B-Class F-CELL fuel cell is in the conditions of production on a large scale. Currently, these vehicles of Class B fuel cell are conducted on a daily basis by customers in Europe and the United States. In addition, three models of B-Class F-CELL are now traveling 30 000 km as part of a world tour titled Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive to demonstrate the high degree of technical maturity of fuel cell technology a fuel. At the same time, this is a world tour launches appeal to all involved in the industry and the political arena to encourage them to accelerate the construction of the necessary network of hydrogen stations dispensing parties.
125 years after the invention of the automobile, Daimler assumes the role of leader in the development of the mobility of the future. His strategy propulsion systems is concentrated on three key areas of development: firstly, optimization of vehicle has an internal combustion engine at the cutting edge of technology; secondly, the improvement of energy efficiency by the use of hybrid technologies; and thirdly, emission-free driving thanks to the use of batteries or fuel cells. These technologies offer solutions tailored to meet the great diversity of customer requirements and thus form the basis of the individual mobility of the future.
