Germany’s Federal Minister of
Economics and Technology Mr. Rainer Brüderle
Test Drives Clean-Drive Vehicles
From Mitsubishi Fuso and smart in Japan

Kawasaki and Tokyo – Mr. Rainer Brüderle, Germany's Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, today experienced the clean drive trucks and passenger cars of Daimler AG in Japan. Mr. Brüderle, in Asia to promote trade and business exchange, test-drove the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid light-duty truck and the smart fortwo electric drive car.

The Canter Eco Hybrid is a light-duty diesel-electric hybrid truck with extremely low emissions and fuel consumption. On sale in Japan since 2006 and now also available in selected export markets, the truck has sold more than 1,000 units worldwide.

The smart fortwo electric drive is a two-seater, battery-electric passenger car with operating range of 135 km and top speed of 100 km/h. A demonstration test started earlier this week in Japan, as a part of the worldwide fleet test involving 1500 cars.

The test drives were part of an event hosted by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), an integral part of the Daimler Trucks Division of Daimler AG, and Mercedes-Benz Japan Co., Ltd. (MBJ), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler AG and the importer of smart cars in Japan.

“Together with Mercedes-Benz Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso was honored to demonstrate our advanced hybrid and electric drive vehicles to Minister Brüderle,” said Dr. Albert Kirchmann, MFTBC President and CEO and Daimler AG’s Corporate Representative in Japan. “These alternative drive efforts are a showcase of Japan-Germany cooperation in advanced environmental technologies. They also demonstrate Daimler AG’s commitment to shaping the future of mobility through customized hybridization and local zero-emission driving with battery vehicles.”

In addition to the test drives, the program for Minister Brüderle included presentations on hybrid and e-mobility initiatives of MFTBC and MBJ.

MFTBC is the home of the Global Hybrid Center (GHC) of Daimler Trucks. Opened in 2008, the GHC’s role is to synchronize Daimler Trucks hybrid development activities on a global basis. All of Daimler Trucks hybrid activities are aligned under the Center, which is located within MFTBC’s R&D facilities in Kawasaki, Japan.

MBJ’s clean drive initiatives include the launch of the clean diesel, micro hybrid, and hybrid model, all for the first times among import brands in Japan.  Following the fuel-cell model from 2003, MBJ rolled out the on-road test of the latest e-mobility – smart ed.

The preview of the new technologies by Minister Brüderle is in line with key objectives of the German Ministry of Economics and Technology. Among other objectives, the Ministry is charged with promoting new technologies and innovation to maintain economic competitiveness, linking economic and ecological goals and expanding the worldwide division of labor and a free system of world trade.

Rainer Brüderle became Minister of Economy and Technology on October 28, 2009. Previously, he was a member of the German Bundestag (Parliament) from 1998-2009 and Deputy Minister-President of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate from 1988-1998. His career in government spans almost 30 years and includes various positions focused on economic development on the federal and state level.

Based in Kawasaki, Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) is one of Asia's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. In 2009, the company sold a total of about 99,500 vehicles including light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses. Daimler AG owns 85% of MFTBC shares and various Mitsubishi group companies own 15% of MFTBC shares. MFTBC is an integral part of the Daimler Trucks Division of Daimler AG.

Mercedes-Benz Japan was established in Tokyo in 1986, the year of the 100th anniversary of automobile.  The company imports and services Mercedes-Benz Cars, consisting of Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, AMG, and smart. In 2009, 29,400 of those cars were sold in Japan.

Further information from Daimler is available on the internet at: www.media.daimler.com and www.daimler.com