Mercedes-Benz at the NAIAS 2011 in Detroit

Stuttgart/Detroit

* SLS AMG E-CELL: Electric super sports car enters series production
* B-Class F-CELL: With hydrogen around the world

At the North American International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz today announced its decision to put the SLS AMG E-CELL into series production. The battery-electric drive super sports car generates 392 kW (525 hp) and 880 Nm (649 lb-ft) of torque.

“The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-CELL is the most technically advanced super sports car in the 125-year history of the automobile, and shows just how fascinating electromobility can be. Our customers will be able to order it from their Mercedes-Benz dealers from 2013 onwards”, said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, at the Mercedes press conference. Zetsche delivered his words on the redesigned Mercedes show stand, which offers a three-dimensional experience of the Stuttgart automaker’s multi-faceted driveline strategy on an area of almost 1,800 square metres.

The second piece of “electrifying” news – January 29 will see the official starting signal of the “Mercedes-Benz World Drive”, the first journey around the world with fuel cell electric drive.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive – around the world with hydrogen

At the end of 2009, Mercedes-Benz put its first electric vehicle with fuel cell drive made under series production conditions on the road with the B-Class F-CELL. As part of a spectacular road trip, the brand with the star now wants to provide impressive proof of the enormous potential offered by fuel cell technology – on the occasion of the official birthday of the automobile on January 29, three fuel cell vehicles from the current series production run will set off from Stuttgart on the “Mercedes-Benz World Drive” – 125 days long, across four continents and through 14 countries. Each of the three vehicles will cover around 30,000 kilometres (18,750 miles).

The new generation C-Class

On January 9, 2011, the eve of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mercedes-Benz presenting the new generation C-Class. Beginning on January 10, orders will be taken for the vehicle in Europe, where sedan and estate will hit showrooms in spring 2011.

125! years of Innovation

Under the motto “125! Years of Innovation”, Mercedes-Benz is showing in Detroit a complete spectrum of highly efficient and clean drives for the automobiles of today and tomorrow.