Daimler Opening Global Hybrid Research Center in Japan
By John O'Dell August 28, 2008
Looking to boost the fuel efficiency of its commercial trucks (left),
auto giant Daimler's truck division has opened a hybrid research center in Japan, where it owns a big chunk of truck maker Mitsubishi Fuso.
The new Daimler Global Hybrid Center will be located on Mitsubishi Fuso's campus in Kawasaki, the company said.
Mitsubishi has developed diesel-electric hybrid systems for city buses and light commercial trucks and Daimler wants to harness that expertise to its own Teutonic engineering prowess, according to industry analysts at economic consultant Global Insight
The aim is to come up with systems that can be applied to the range of commercial vehicles it manufacturers in its Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star and Mitsubishi Fuso subsidiaries.
And if some of that technology happens to trickle down into the company's Mercedes-Benz and Smart passenger car divisions, well, so much the better.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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