Individual mobility is the driving force behind everything Mercedes-Benz does. It therefore follows that saving fuel and reducing emissions are two primary development targets for future-oriented drive concepts which are being pursued in a number of different ways.
Combustion engines, running principally on fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel, are set to remain the world's predominant vehicle drive system for years to come. Alternative fuels, such as liquefied gas, natural gas, methanol and hydrogen as well as synthetic fuels obtained from natural gas or biomass, still play a subordinate role today, but are increasingly becoming more significant as fossil fuels become more expensive and scarce.
The range of alternatives to the combustion engine includes electric drive systems and, above all, the efficient, fuel-saving hybrid drive. In contrast to all-battery systems, the hybrid drive represents a realistic solution for individual transport which is compatible with existing vehicle usage patterns, especially as it can be implemented extremely flexibly in accordance with the requirements of different applications. Furthermore, the hybrid drive forms an ideal intermediate stage on the way to the all-electric fuel-cell vehicle running on hydrogen or methanol which will eventually make it independent of the finite reserves of fossil fuels.