New Mercedes-Benz S-Class is world's first car to get environmental certificate

Ten years ago the Mercedes-Benz opened its Technology Centre to assess new vehicle concepts from an ecological point of view and to provide impute for environmentally compatible product development.

"With the world's first environmental certificate, the new S-Class underlines its role as a trendsetter in ecological car development and emphasises the company's commitment to environmentally compatible and sustained mobility," said Johannes Fritz, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes Car Group, Dubai.

The new S-Class excels with exemplary exhaust and noise emissions. The certificate confirms that the new S 350 betters current European Union 4 limits for nitrogen oxides by more than 85 percent and for hydrocarbons by around 75 percent. Exhaust emissions from the S 500 and S 600 are also significantly below EU4 limits.

TUV management GmbH also confirmed in their report that the new S-Class met all the environmental requirements of ISO 14062 and that 'many of the solutions presented are to be considered exemplary'. For example, the new S-Class not only meets the EU's 2006 85 percent recycling rate but will also comply with the 95 per cent overall recovery rate applicable from 2015.

Mercedes-Benz has also increased the use of natural materials in the vehicle. In the new S-Class 27 components with a combined weight of 43 kilograms are made from natural materials including wood fibres for the front seat backrests. An activated charcoal filter made from olive stones processed into coke is used to ventilate the fuel tank. This open pored material absorbs hydrocarbon emissions and is self-regenerating.