With fuel savings of up to 26% over its predecessor, CO2 emissions as low as 98g/km, a ‘best-in-class’ Cd value of 0.27 and all gasoline-fuelled variants complying with Euro 6, the new A-Class sets new benchmarks in efficiency according to Mercedes-Benz. Its environmental performance been confirmed by the TÜV Süd technical inspection authority, who have certified the model meets the ISO standard TR 14062, based on a life-cycle assessment.
“The new engines and transmissions are a major contributory factor here,” said Professor Dr Herbert Kohler, Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler AG. “We are particularly proud that the A 180, A 200 and A 250 even undercut the very strict particle count limit of 6×1011 per km, which will not become mandatory until the second stage of the Euro 6 standard is introduced in 2017.”
Mercedes-Benz says its analyses of the environmental compatibility of its models throughout their life cycle goes far beyond legal requirements. The Environmental Certificate and supplementary information are made available to the public in the “Life Cycle” documentation at http://www.mercedes-benz.com.
Over the entire life cycle of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class – from production and service over 160,000km to recycling – the new A180 BlueEFFICIENCY causes 16% (5.7 tons) less CO2 emissions than its predecessor when that was discontinued in 2012. Primary energy consumption over the vehicle’s entire life cycle is cut by 15% in comparison to its predecessor. This corresponds to the energy content of around 2400 litres of gasoline, attributed to BlueEFFICIENCY technologies combining optimisation measures in the powertrain, energy management, aerodynamics, low rolling resistance tyres, weight reduction and driver information.
The A-Class incorporates 46 components representing a total weight of 34.2kg which can be produced with the partial use of high-quality recycled plastics, resulting in an 11% increase in the weight of approved recycled components in comparison to the previous model. The new model also shows an increased emphasis on closed automobile materials cycles: the wheel arch linings are produced from reprocessed starter batteries and bumper panelling, for example. The battery mounting is produced from reprocessed waste from the dashboard production process.
20 components in the A-Class, representing a total weight of 20.8kg, are produced using natural materials – an increase of 36% over the previous model. A biopolymer is being used for the first time in large-scale production at Mercedes-Benz in the engine cover for the new A-Class’ M270 gasoline engine. The polyamide employed in the production of this engine cover consists of around 70% raw material obtained from the seeds of the castor-oil plant. Making the engine cover out of biopolyamide results in only about 40% of the CO2 emissions which would result from making it from a conventional polyamide.
