Daimler Chrysler open to introduce Benz Hybrid buses in India

Bangalore, Jan 3: Mercedes Benz was open to consider introducing its famed Hybrid Buses, which had proved to be a big success in the United States, in India as the country had enormous potential, Dr Thomas Weber, Director and Global Head of Technology, Daimler Chrysler (DC), said today.

Speaking at a media conference to announce the completion of 10 years of operations of the Daimler Chrysler Research and Technology Centre (DCTRI) here, he said India was an important market for Benz vehicles and apart from Hybrid buses it could also introduce Bluetec, its modular technology package for the cleanest Diesel engine in the world, if the country offered clean fuel.

DCRTI, a 100 per cent subsidiary and the largest laboratory of DC outside Germany embodied the spirit of research and development of DC. IT expertise available in India and the highly motivated staff at the centre had helped it emerge as the important cog of electronic, electrical, engineering and technological development of the Benz technology, he added.

Dr Weber said the centre had made significant contributions in areas of active safety, road condition sensing, accident-free driving, IT for engineering and logistics and fuel cell and battery technology. It was also a partner to DC business units and its partner organisations by assisting them in meeting their R and D challenges.

Dr Weber said hybrid vehicles were ecologically important for the future. The company's hybrid family developed in Troy in the United States was introduced with power train technology. Modular diesel technology package, in which DC had the best expertise, had a bright future, considering the emission regulations to be introduced by various nations.

He said the DC was planning to introduce Bluetec vehicles in Europe and Japan and they could also come to India in the future.

However, availability of clean fuel would be important to introduce such high tech vehicles.

Prof Bharat Balasubramanium, Head of Passenger Vehicle Development, said hybrid buses run on diesel which had 50 ppm sulphur content, which was available only in the US. Even in Europe, the fuel had 500 ppm of sulphur, which explained why it was yet to be introduced in those countries. In India, fuel quality should be improved and adulteration of fuel checked to make way for introduction of such vehicles, he added.

DC (India) Managing Director Alfred Katzenbach said the company, though happy with the sales growth, needed the Government's help to make progress. Benz vehicles attracted a duty of a minimum of 60 per cent which hindered progress in sales. But still the sales of Benz cars had doubled last year at 2,121 vehicles. It had sold 250 cars in S class, 922 in E class and 883 in C class.

UNI