Interview with Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development ›› We pull all the levers we have to make our cars even more efficient ‹‹ 5 F o c u s Photos: Daimler AG ‹F›: Dr. Weber, the internal combustion engine today is the driving force inside the automobile. What role do you think will the combustion engine have in the future? ‹Dr. Weber›: We are confident that – alongside the gradual driveline electrification – the combustion engine will still feature prominently on the world’s roads. The further development of the internal combustion engine will, of course, continue, though. Despite all of its optimizations so far, the combustion engine still has plenty of potential, which we are determined to exploit! Our mission is to provide high-efficiency and low-emission combustion engines, particularly sustainable hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles powered by fuel cell or battery. Apart from the drive, we will continue our electrification efforts at the component level, too. This includes electric steering and electric auxiliary units that can be switched off for all of our series. ‹F›:What optimization potential does the diesel or gasoline engine still have? To what extent can the electrification of auxiliary units, for example, contribute to engine optimization? ‹Dr. Weber›: Where the combustion engine is concerned, we still see potential savings of about 15 percent. Besides many other technology cornerstones, the electrification of the auxiliary units is a very important lever for the future. It includes electric steering and electric auxiliary units that can be switched off for all series. Fuel consumption can additionally be lowered by optimized transmission, aerodynamics and, for example, by electric steering. Measures like these lead to incredibly efficient vehicles like our ML 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC, requiring as little as 6.0 liters for 100 kilometers. This makes it not only the most economical vehicle of its class, it even beats all comparable hybrid SUVs of our competitors. ‹F›: Mercedes-Benz already offers several hybrid-drive vehicles. What significance will the hybrid drive have for Mercedes over the next 10 to 15 years? ‹Dr. Weber›: The hybrid drive is already an integral part of our tripartite drive strategy of high-tech
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