Introducing Greener Cars | Green Energy News

November 9, 2003 – Vol.8 No.33

INTRODUCING GREENER CARS.

DaimlerChrysler claims it is taking a diversified approach to introducing cleaner or more efficient vehicles into the world marketplace.

This makes considerable sense.

While it is true that purchasing decisions are often swayed by marketing efforts, in the long run consumer experience with a product will determine its success in the marketplace. Good products sell themselves.

So DaimlerChrysler is saying: Throw a bunch of technologies at them and see what they think.

A clear success story for the company is the predicted sale of 28,000 GEM low-speed electric vehicles by the end of 2003. Yes, they’re limited to 25 miles per hour, and yes they’re limited in range and utility, but most of those 28,000 vehicles is taking the place of a convention vehicle in the trips that it makes, according to DaimlerChrysler.

In 2004 the company will attempt to sell diesel passenger vehicles, the Jeep Liberty, to the U.S. market and will also begin selling the Dodge Ram HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) here. Though without being to the point the company seems to admit that the Ram HEV won’t get significantly improved fuel economy. The hybrid truck may prove be more of a novelty than a mileage champ.

DaimlerChrysler also says it will add 100 vehicles to its fuel cell development program in 2004. The company will attempt to place 60 more F-Cell passenger cars in U.S., Asia and Europe, deliver 30 Citaro fuel cell buses in Europe and provide fuel cell powered Sprinter vans to selected customers in the U.S.

The company also says it has delivered 6000 CNG vehicles, 12,000 M85 vehicles and more than a million E-85 vehicles (though it is not known how many of the E-85 vehicles actually operate on the ethanol blend.) Visit DaimlerChrysler media at http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/