Mercedes fuel cell

Bosses at Mercedes are committing the brand to a fuel cell future. Along­side a raft of other eco-friendly plans revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, they claimed that a hydrogen-powered model would be in dealerships within the next seven years.

Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of par­ent company Daimler, told us: “We will have a production vehicle with a fuel cell by 2015. This car will probably be a compact hatch, and I think 100,000 sales per year is achievable.”

The new model should be able to cover 250 miles on a single tankful, and the firm is currently producing one prototype vehicle per day.

Meanwhile, plans are already well advanced for a diesel-electric model. Mercedes showcased the Vision GLK Bluetec Hybrid at Geneva – this is claimed to be the world’s cleanest SUV, emitting 157g/km of CO2 and returning 47.9mpg fuel economy.

Whether it will reach production has yet to be confirmed, but Zetsche added a diesel hybrid model is likely to arrive in around two years. He also said the innovative DiesOtto engine – a super-efficient variable compression petrol unit, revealed last year – was running behind schedule due to mechanical issues, and won’t appear for another three years. The 1.8-litre direct-injection twin-turbo produces 238bhp, yet has returned more than 40mpg during trials in an S-Class.

Much of the German company’s latest eco technology will be available in the next-generation E-Class. And this week, our spies snapped the executive saloon, which is scheduled to go on sale in 2009. Behind the disguise you can see a rising waistline and a new front end that mimics the luxury S-Class.