"e-mobility Baden-Württemberg" begins: Daimler and EnBW pioneers of emission-free mobility
- Baden-Württemberg as birthplace of the automobile promotes electric mobility
- Daimler AG and EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG initiate an integrated business model for the roll-out of electric vehicles that are fully suitable for everyday use in conjunction with an integrated power supply concept
- Integrated Franco-German fleet trial for cross-border operation of electric vehicles
Stuttgart/Karlsruhe, 18.06.2010 – EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG and Daimler AG are today launching the joint "e-mobility Baden-Württemberg" initiative. The aim is to turn the birthplace of the automobile into a pioneering region for locally emission-free electric mobility within the next two years. So, Daimler and EnBW clearly show their commitment to their home base: "e-mobility Baden-Württemberg" will contribute to sustainably strengthen the region and its success. Starting point of the initiative is the regional capital Stuttgart, with Karlsruhe providing a second focal point in the region.
Daimler and EnBW are setting new standards with their strategic partnership.
EnBW brings to the table its expertise, with in-depth know-how of energy logistics used in the development of intelligent, customer-friendly battery charging models, as well as intelligent grid management and control skills, and can provide suitably versatile energy carriers – plans include an intelligent electricity charging and hydrogen infrastructure. In addition to already on-going “e-mobility projects”, the new initiative is intentionally geared to variety.
Within the framework of "e-mobility Baden-Württemberg", Daimler will deploy about 200 smart and Mercedes-Benz vehicles, which are fitted with battery-electric or fuel-cell drive depending on the particular model. Over the medium term, Daimler plans to incorporate its entire product portfolio of emission-free electric vehicles into the strategic partnership: from the smart fortwo electric drive, to the B-Class F-CELL and the A-Class E-CELL. With the first standard-production electric delivery vehicle, the Vito E-CELL, and the Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid bus, the inventor of the automobile shows that electric mobility is feasible in all key mobility areas – for individual mobility as well as for delivery and local public transport applications. EnBW envisages setting up over 700 charging points and two to three hydrogen filling stations in Baden-Württemberg by the end of 2011. EnBW exclusively uses hydroelectric power to supply its public charging stations.
Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars:
"All deployed electric cars have two things in common: they are completely practical for everyday use and drive with zero emissions. That shows electric driving is already feasible from a technological perspective today. We now have to make electric vehicles affordable for customers and to turn our attention to setting up the infrastructure – and that can only be accomplished by government and industry collaboration. The total package has to be right – only then does electric mobility have a chance."
Hans-Peter Villis, Chairman of EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG: "Fuel cell and battery-electric vehicles already mark the transition from fossil fuels to drives using renewable energy today. Electric mobility consequently is the logical combination of climate protection and mobility. The jump from technological feasibility to market acceptance will however only be possible if the availability of electric vehicles goes hand in hand with rolling out the charging infrastructure. In conjunction with this kind of intelligently networked charging infrastructure the electric car can also develop beyond its role as mobility carrier to become a versatile mobile electric storage device."
Electric mobility as an opportunity for Baden-Württemberg
Individual mobility is the foundation for growth and wealth. Accordingly, electromobility will in future also have an impact on the economic development of a location. ”In order to strengthen the car-making location of Baden-Württemberg in the long term, present activities concerning development and application of new drive trains need to be concentrated and advanced in a more intensive way. Only in this way, we can sustainably ensure added value and employment in the region”, underlined state premier Stefan Mappus. He would welcome assertively the joint initiative “e-mobility Baden-Württemberg” of Daimler and EnBW as a clear commitment of the economy to electric mobility and as a brilliant amendment of the regional initiative for electric mobility that has started end of 2009. “The government of Baden-Württemberg intends to advance the development of alternative drive train concepts and will hence invest a total of 28,5 million Euro in corresponding structure and project measures in the years 2010 to 2014. Through the joint initiative of Daimler and EnBW, we enhance our opportunities to again set standards in the worldwide competition.”
Two pioneers are driving forward electric mobility
Widespread customer acceptance and the rapid dispersion of electric mobility with battery or fuel cell requires not only unrestricted suitability for daily use of the products but also, in particular, a powerful, preferably universal infrastructure of charging stations and hydrogen filling stations. Daimler and EnBW have already become involved for many years with a wide range of projects to promote electric mobility – in certain areas they have even been collaborating. Thanks to extensive experience in their respective fields, the two companies complement each other perfectly. The gathered experience and expertise are now being bundled in the joint "e-mobility Baden-Württemberg" initiative to turn the German state into a pioneering region for electric mobility with fuel cell and battery.
"e-mobility Baden-Württemberg" – initiative for an emission-free future
The numerous activities within the strategic partnership are reflected along the entire value chain. In order to develop economically viable, standardised solutions, all the relevant parties need to be involved: automotive and supplier industry, energy providers, science, research and politics.
As part of "e-mobility Baden-Württemberg", Daimler and EnBW will collaborate on further innovative solutions for energy logistics and charge management for battery-driven electric vehicles. At the heart of these solutions is a new bidirectional charging system: it not only enables a battery-electric vehicle to be recharged at the charging station, but can also feed electrical energy from the vehicle back into the power grid. Thanks to a flexible management of supply and demand, the load placed on the power grid can be optimised – with the lowest possible CO2 emissions. The plan is to develop and test initial business models based on this approach in a joint pilot project at the start of 2011.
Daimler and EnBW are also driving forward electric mobility internationally
To promote cross-border electric mobility, Daimler and EnBW are teaming up with other industry partners to roll out the first Franco-German fleet trial for electric mobility.
Daimler will use 25 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles, with EnBW providing the relevant local infrastructure. An important milestone on the road to international electric mobility comes in the shape of the charging plug developed jointly by German car makers, auto component suppliers and energy providers, and designed to become the pan-European standard. The partners are now collaborating on standardising the communications interface between the vehicle and charging infrastructure. As part of this strategy, the existing communications protocol will be jointly refined and also provided free of charge on the Internet to third parties – in line with the open source concept – so they can design their own products. International standardisation is key to setting up well-operating, low-cost and customer-friendly electric mobility, and thus to ultimately securing widespread customer acceptance.
Contact:
Daimler AG
Eva Wiese
Tel. no.: +49 711 17-92311
email: eva.wiese@daimler.com
Shirin Emeera
Tel. no.: +49 711 17-93271
email: shirin.emeera@daimler.com
EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG
Corporate Communications
Tel. no.: +49 721 63-14320
email: presse@enbw.com