7 F o c u s > World premiere of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which will also be available as a plug-in hybrid. ‹F›: With its smart fortwo electric drive, Daimler AG also has a battery-powered electric car in its vehicle range – meanwhile in its third generation. How do you rate the prospects of this drive concept? And will its scope of application remain limited to urban areas? ‹Dr. Weber›: We view the electric smart as a complete success. By the end of 2012, we had rolled out more than 1,000 vehicles of the latest generation, and for 2013 we intend to produce around 6,000 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles. Obviously, battery-powered electric vehicles will remain ideally suited for application in cities, in other words, in an urban environment. Where the smart is concerned, particularly, vehicle concept and drive are a perfect match. And judging by the sales figures, that’s exactly how our customers see it, too. For covering longer distances locally with zero emissions, we are additionally focusing on fuel-cell powered electric mobility. We see a lot of potential in this field. Not only for compact, but also for larger vehicles, even city buses. ‹F›: Daimler has formed an alliance with Nissan and Ford for joint research and development in the area of fuel cell technology. What significance do you attach to the hydrogen fuel cell as a future power source for the vehicle drive? ‹Dr. Weber›: Hydrogen is certainly the energy source of the future and has by far the greatest potential when it comes to zero-emission driving. It is not surprising that practically all of the major automotive manufacturers have meanwhile started to focus on fuel cell technology. Our partnership with Ford and Nissan in this field is a magnificent opportunity to implement this technology in high volumes and to offer it in the global markets at attractive prices. ‹F›: What are the key factors determining the distribution and acceptance of the fuel-cell technology, and is there a way you as an automotive manufacturer can influence them? ‹Dr. Weber›: We have already demonstrated on several occasions ›› Where the combustion engine is concerned, we still see potential savings of about 15 percent ‹‹
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