No matter what the international venue, all of this year’s motor shows from London to Paris have a consistent theme – green cars. Hanover was no exception.
From light vans to heavy trucks and buses, green thinking took centre stage at just about every manufacturer’s display.
Daimler, for example, has introduced a cross-brand initiative called ‘Shaping Future Transportation’, which features a number of hybrid vehicles such as a plug-in hybrid Sprinter van and a high-efficiency concept diesel van, the Vito BlueEfficiency.
According to Wilfried Port, head of vans at Daimler, the company is merely reacting to changing market trends.
“We face the question of how we can meet the growing demand for transport services while at the same time lowering emissions,” he said.
The Vito BlueEfficiency includes an economical six-speed transmission with stop-start function and a number of aerodynamic improvements. The total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been slashed by 40g/km.
In addition, Volkswagen has incorporated a number of fuel-efficient diesels into its van range. The Crafter BlueMotion Studie, which is a 3.5 ton van, has fuel economy at 31.04mpg. It also has a SCR catalyst with AdBlue technology which can make significant reductions to nitrogen oxide emissions.
Nissan too is focusing on improving the fuel economy of its vans. A hybrid version of the Cabstat light truck was unveiled at the show, with a 30 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and a boost in fuel economy. Iveco too is well on the way to meeting Euro 6 standards, expected to be introduced in 2014, with diesel-electric hybrid vans and buses in operation and a zero-emission battery electric version of the Daily panel van, which is also available now.
