Mercedes-Benz News

Mercedes-Benz partners in hydrogen roll out - H2 Mobility

Berlin, 14 September 2009 - Today leading industrial companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Berlin with the participation of the German Minister of Transport, Wolfgang Tiefensee.The agreement intends the evaluation of the setup of a hydrogen infrastructure in Germany so as to promote serial production of electric vehicles with fuel-cell. This marks a major step towards the commercialization of such locally emission-free vehicles.The partners of the initiative "H2 Mobility" are Daimler, EnBW, Linde, OMV, Shell, Total, Vattenfall and the NOWGmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. Thereby the co-operation is also open for further partners interested in the project.In recent years significant progress has been made in Germany with the development of hydrogen based technologies in the mobility sector, identifying the country as a potential start-market in the context of a broader European perspective.This has been made possible by the continuous commitment of a significant number of industrial stakeholders and comprehensive support by the German government with the common aim of preparing for the commercialization of electric vehicles with fuel cell and embedding hydrogen- and fuel cell technologies in the future powertrain portfolio.Current demonstration projects like the Clean Energy Partnership involving fuel retail companies, utility providers and engineering companies have shown that the production, storage, transportation and deployment of efficient equipment for compressed gaseous hydrogen are technically feasible.Moreover, leading automobile manufacturers recently announced a joint statement on the development and market introduction of electric vehicles with fuel cell. From 2015 onwards they anticipate several hundred thousand units over life cycle on a worldwide basis.The MoU goes back to a joint initiative by Daimler and Linde aimed at providing sufficient hydrogen fuelling station infrastructure, which is the key to establishing electric vehicles with fuel cell on the market.The MoU comprises two phases.Phase One includes the evaluation of options for an area-wide roll-out of hydrogen fuelling stations in Germany and the definition of a joint business plan agreement including an analysis of possible public support measures.In Phase One partners intend to leverage plans to install new hydrogen fuelling stations by 2011. This will take place within the framework of the German economic stimulus package (Konjunkturpaket II) and other national and state programs to jointly address standardization and cost reduction issues.Subject to the positive and satisfactory outcome of such a business case agreement the partners will implement the corresponding action plan in Phase Two. The nation-wide roll-out of hydrogen fuelling stations will be continued; supporting the introduction of series produced hydrogen powered vehicles in Germany around 2015.