OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Stuttgart, Germany, May 16, 2011
After a 9000-kilometre journey through China and Kazakhstan and some 25,000 locally emissions-free kilometres covered, our three fuel-cell vehicles crossed the final continental boundary of the tour on 15 May 2011: the 107th day of the F-CELL World Drive saw the tour head from Chelyabinsk to Ufa in Russia, and from there back to Europe, marking the successful crossing of the fourth continent of the journey, Asia. Just five countries remain for participants over the final 5000-kilometre leg of the tour, which is scheduled to finally return to Stuttgart on 1 June after 125 days.
Our three B-Class F-CELL vehicles are expected to cover more than 3000 kilometres on their journey through Russia before crossing into Finland on 23 May, and then on to the home straight via Scandinavia. The first stage on Russian soil, which leads from Chelyabinsk to the capital Moscow over four days, brings the tour back to Europe.
Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive
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 one day after its symbolic start on 29 January 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.
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