Speaking at the IAA, the world’s biggest commercial vehicle show held every two years in the German city of Hanover, he noted that there was a sense of urgency to move ahead with the development of new technology to power trucks, buses and vans, as “diesel fuel is almost becoming a luxury item these days”.

He said the commercial vehicle industry was standing “at the dawn of a new era”, adding that conventional drive systems could no longer meet the demands associated with the booming global truck market – “not if we wish to avoid endangering the natural basis of our own existence”.

Renschler said that if per capita oil consumption in the booming markets of India and China should reach only half of that in the US, the global oil demand would more than double, which would also see emissions increase dramatically.

“Most experts also believe that we will reach the limits of oil production capacity by 2020. For many freight forwarders, the diesel price may then exceed the pain threshold,” he emphasised.

Renschler said even though alternative drive systems had been around for nearly as long as motor vehicles, the internal combustion engine had prevailed for many reasons.

“The first fuel cell was built in 1839, electric cars were produced as far back as a hundred years ago, and the process for producing synthetic biofuels is actually 80 years old . . . [However], a diesel engine is cheaper than a fuel cell, the [kilometre range] of electric drive systems is still quite limited, and filling stations only exist for fossil fuels.”

Renschler noted, though, that “everything can change”, as it was possible to overcome these technological hurdles.

“It is possible that battery and fuel cell drives could become competitive by 2020.”

Renschler said the bottom line was that the commercial vehicle industry might change more during the next ten years than it had over the last 50 years.

“After decades of evolution, we now stand at the threshold of a revolution in our sector. Business as usual is no longer an option.”
Daimler would invest €14-billion in research and development between now and 2010.

There are no alternative technology commercial vehicles operational in South Africa.

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