On February 25th, 2011, the Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive began the second leg of its world tour with three neon green B-Class F-CELL vehicles. The U.S. journey began in Fort Lauderdale, FLand headed towards New Orleans, LA. In total, the vehicles will rack up around 4,660 miles in just the USA and Canada. After their brief visit, the F-Cell cars will board a plane and head to Australia via Seattle, WA.
We will continue to update you on the F-Cell World Drive progress with photos and daily updates. For now, read below for more information on the tour as well as brief diary excerpts from the World Drive staff below.
Local zero-emission motoring from Miami to Seattle
The second leg of the F-CELL World Drive is taking the three fuel cell vehicles across the North American continent, from Miami right across the USA and as far as Vancouver in Canada. The route then continues by airplane from Seattle to Australia. In doing so, the journey will also highlight the gaps in the American hydrogen infrastructure. By the end of the USA tour the B-Class F-CELL vehicles will have been refuelled around 35 times during 18 legs – but only one time will be at a public hydrogen filling station in Torrance, Los Angeles.
During the tour, the striking green paint finish of the B-Class F-CELL vehicles, which already caused a sensation at the Detroit Motor Show, isn’t the only feature raising attention to the tour. Local events in San Francisco, Sacramento, Salem and Vancouver will also provide the opportunity for an intensive exchange of ideas with local media, visitors and residents on the subject of fuel cell technology.
During this leg of the trip, which is scheduled to take roughly three weeks, participants can expect to enjoy a varied programme providing not only extensive opportunity to experience the B-Class F-CELL, but also interesting information on the topic of sustainable mobility. On 1 March the tour already paid a visit to the Daimler car2go mobility project in Austin, Texas. The next item of the agenda, due to take place on 10 March, is an intensive exchange on the topic of electric mobility at Tesla Motors in Palo Alto. Tesla designs and builds high performance electric cars and supplies powertrain components to leading OEMs. Tesla makes the lithium-ion battery and charger for Daimler’s smart fortwo electric drive and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL. In Vancouver the participants will then be the guests of the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC). This is where the fuel cell stack for the B-Class F-CELL, for example, was developed in close cooperation with Daimler research and development staff from Germany. The company was established in 2007, with Daimler as the majority shareholder (50.1 percent). In addition, while in Vancouver the F-CELL World Drive will also meet up with adventurer and explorer Mike Horn and his PANGAEA Expedition, for which Mercedes-Benz is the main sponsor. The PANGAEA Expedition’s sailing ship has been visiting all of the continents, including both the North and South Pole, since October 2008. Together with young people from all over the world, expedition leader Mike Horn is setting up ecological and social projects on his trip around the world.
Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive Info
During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles are passing through 14 countries and 4 continents – to drive around the globe once. Organised by Mercedes-Benz, the circumnavigation of the world started on 30 January 2011 in Stuttgart and is scheduled to last 125 days, until the vehicles return to Stuttgart again at the beginning of June, after covering a distance of some 30,000 kilometres. The aim of the tour is to demonstrate the technical maturity and suitability for everyday use of electric vehicles with fuel cells, and at the same time highlight the need for a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure. The Stuttgart-based automotive manufacturer is being supported on the tour by Linde AG, which is responsible for supplying the hydrogen.
Leg 6:
On February 25th, 2011, the F-CELL World Drive embarked on the first leg in the USA from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans. From 25th until 27 th of February, the vehicles passed through the four states Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana and thereby covered 1.460 kilometers.
“Our F-CELL World Drive finished the first diving day in the U.S. On February 25th the three B-Class F-CELL started their drive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 8 a.m. After a refuelling stop during lunch time close to the Kennedy Space Center they continued their journeys to Jacksonville. Facts of the day: distance 568 km/ 353 miles, sunny weather and at least one sunburn.” F-Cell World Drive Blogger
Leg 7:
The seventh leg of the F-CELL World Drive led the vehicles from New Orleans in Louisiana over a distance of more than 1.070 kilometers to San Antonio, Texas. Along the way, the tour made a stopover at the mobility project car2go in Austin.
“The seventh leg of the F-CELL World Drive led the vehicles from New Orleans in Louisiana over a distance of more than 1.070 locally emission-free kilometres to San Antonio, Texas. Along the way, the tour made a stopover at the mobility project car2go in Austin. Right now, the tour and most of the team members have a spare day in San Antonio. Fair enough: ¼ of the tour done (31 days) — 94 days remaining.” F-Cell World Drive Blogger
Leg 8:
Starting from San Antonio on March 3rd , the three B-Class F-CELL vehicles set off on the eighth leg. The ride across the state of New Mexico to Phoenix in Arizona is the longest leg of the US-stage, covering a distance of more than 1.600 kilometers. On March 2nd the tour therefore used the opportunity to allow the participants a break in San Antonio.
“The F-CELL World Drive contested its 8th leg from San Antonio, Texas to Fort Stockton. Our team tackled more than 500 kilometres and got to know the almost waterless but rather adventurous and historically impressed outback of the “Lone Star State”. About 1/3 of the remaining distance to reach the next great destination is done. The Tour is already on its way to Deming: Phoenix is near! — 93 days left ” F-Cell World Drive Blogger
“From dawn till dusk…or almost dust?…F-CELL World Drives’ long way to Phoenix let the team leave Texas and have a stopover in Las Cruces, also known as “The City of Crosses”! Nearby the border of New Mexico they experienced the rough flair of this area. Searching for the famous Rio Grande was not successful…mostly dust…that’s what it is! Phoenix…the F-CELL World Drive is approaching…about 500 kilometres left!” F-Cell World Drive Blogger
“The F-CELL World Drive completed its 8th leg from San Antonio to Phoenix. Crossing the states of Texas and New Mexico the tour tackled over 1600 kilometres in 3 days and left behind the longest leg in the US in order to reach the capital of Arizona. More than ¼ of the route in done. The team is currently on the way towards LA – Full speed – or let’s say hydrogen – ahead!” F-Cell World Drive Blogger
F-Cell World Drive U.S. Diary Updates:
Day 1: Ft. Lauderdale – Kennedy Space Center – Jacksonville, Florida, 352 miles Friday, February 25th
The drive began in Ft. Lauderdale on Friday, February 25th with journalists and bloggers behind the wheel of three F-CELLs. They are the first group of many national and international journalists who have been invited to join us along the route to test drive these vehicles. By mid-day, the entire team had arrived at the Kennedy Space Center where our first fueling took place. Fortunate for us the shuttle launch took place as scheduled the day before, so that we had plenty of space to refuel and enjoy the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Early evening we reached Jacksonville where our Parts Distribution Center welcomed us with a reception. Following a refuelling on their property, we regrouped poolside at our hotel to discuss the next day’s plans.
Day 2: Jacksonville – Tallahassee – Defuniak Springs, Florida, 303 miles Saturday, February 26th
On day two we left Jacksonville, the beautiful Florida coast and entered a Starbucks neutral territory. At our first refuelling stop at a Linde distribution center in the state capital of Tallahassee, we enjoyed a southern style barbeque meal surrounded by cylinders of hydrogen, nitrogen and helium. Today we gained an extra hour settling comfortably into a new time zone in Defuniak Springs followed by dinner at Bogart’s Cafe in the town’s historic district.
Day 3: Defuniak Springs, Florida – Grand Bay, Alabama – Slidell, Louisiana, 263 miles Sunday, February 27th
When our opening car starts out every morning at 6:30 am to prepare the fueling site, we are confident that all will run smoothly thanks to our advance team arriving the day before to ensure everything is in place. The fuel cell cars, by the way, are running smoothly and require no special attention. The field team spends most of their time and effort involved with the fueling process and the logistics of moving vehicles and people down the road.
Today we opted for a scenic route along the Gulf Coast to our first fueling site at the volunteer fire department of Grand Bay, Alabama. In the afternoon, NASA again supported our efforts by allowing us entry to the Stennis Space Center for our 2nd fueling of the day. The field team spent the night outside of New Orleans in Slidell, although some did enjoy Mardi Gras festivities on Bourbon Street, while others dined with the second group of journalists and bloggers who will accompany us to San Antonio.
Day 4: Slidell, Louisiana – Egan, Texas – Baytown, Texas, 342 miles Monday, February 28th
Driving across the bayous of Louisiana, we left the sultry weather behind us and entered the vast expanse of Texas where we will spend the next four days. We received a warm southern welcome at our first fueling site in Egan, Texas but declined the offer to cool off at the truck stop casino. A lot of work is involved in refueling the vehicles. One important component of the operation is the hydrogen compressor which is housed in a Sprinter van. The vehicle seems to come alive during the fueling and emits all sorts of sounds during the process. It has since been christened “the Buffalo” because of its stamina, endurance and the noise it makes. Here in Texas we are on the look-out for some bull horns to complete the picture.
Day 5: Baytown, Texas – Austin, Texas – San Antonio, Texas, 311 miles Tuesday, March 1st
We received more Southern hospitality with a Texas barbeque at the Austin Mercedes-Benz dealership while the Buffalo worked away at a nearby shopping mall parking lot. There at the fueling site we all had a look at a line-up of smart vehicles which are part of the successful vehicle loaner program car2go recently launched here in the capital of Texas. The afternoon drive lasted well into the evening as the F-CELLs drove a scenic route through the beautiful hill country of Texas and on into the city of San Antonio. The final members of the fuel support team arrived to the hotel in time for a near midnight snack. Fortunate for us we have the day off tomorrow to rest and explore San Antonio.
