Press Release
The Environment Megatrend: How Continental
Is Making Commercial Vehicles More
Environmental Friendly
 Sensors identify fuel and exhaust gas components
 AdBlue injectors and hose systems for clean SCR technology
 Lighter thanks to plastic pistons in the air spring system
Hanover, September 18, 2012. Enhanced driving performance, less fuel consumption –
commercial and delivery vehicles have been getting more environmentally friendly for many
years now. But requirements are becoming ever more stringent and pose major challenges
for manufacturers and their development partners alike. The international automobile
supplier, Continental, already offers numerous environmentally friendly components and
systems in its product range. And the developers are working on additional technologies to
make vehicles even cleaner. Fuel sensors and AdBlue injectors are every bit as important
here as heatable lines for selective catalytic reduction technology (SCR), air spring systems
with plastic pistons and friction-optimized drive belts. eHorizon-based autonomous intelligent
cruise control, high-mileage commercial vehicle tires and smart human-machine interfaces
are making vehicles more environmentally friendly. "Continental offers commercial vehicle
manufacturers numerous solutions to meet future requirements," says José A. Avila, member
of the Executive Board and head of the Powertrain division. "Our five divisions work closely
together so that the individual systems can be optimally networked with each other. This is a
clear advantage for our customers."
Fuel quality sensor is like a miniature fuel laboratory
An example of this is the fuel quality sensor, which identifies the main components – such as
the sulfur content – in the fuel. This is important because the properties of the fuel have a
major impact on the efficiency, emissions and durability of modern diesel engines.
Continental has since delivered sample units of its new fuel quality sensor to several
commercial vehicle OEMs for testing and vehicle integration.
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Your contact person:
Mario Töpfer, Phone: +49 511 938-1304
-2This sensor determines the changeable diesel biofuel substance mixture in the tank and its
current cetane number with a target accuracy of ±5% of biodiesel. This information can be
used to adapt the combustion strategy and exhaust gas aftertreatment such that the engine
runs as efficiently as possible and with minimal emissions. To analyze the fuel for a
comprehensive list of chemical components, Continental developed the sensor based on an
optical measurement principle – a type of miniature fuel laboratory that recognizes the fuel's
optical fingerprint, thereby allowing fine-tuning of the engine management system. The
sensor also detects problematic substances such as sulfur, water or gasoline in the diesel.
SCR expertise – from the sensor to the heated hose system
Further reducing the NOx emission constitutes a central challenge. Many OEMs use SCR
because this can reduce NOx levels by up to 97%. In SCR, an aqueous urea solution
(AdBlue) is injected into the exhaust gas flow to convert the nitrogen oxides in a catalyst to
harmless water vapor and natural nitrogen. Continental delivers key components for this,
such as software modules for control functions as part of catalyst management. From 2013
onward, newly developed AdBlue injectors with air cooling for light-duty use will enter mass
production. At the same time, Continental is developing a water-cooled version for use in
trucks. Also in development is an ultrasound-based urea sensor, which measures the urea
content and fluid level in the AdBlue tank. Heatable hoseline modules also form part of
Continental's SCR system expertise. The heated high-performance hoses developed by the
ContiTech division specifically for the SCR procedure ensure that the solution does not
freeze and is transported securely from the tank to the catalyst at any temperature.
In many commercial vehicles of the future, a combination of SCR and diesel particle filters
will clean the exhaust gases. Since hot exhaust gas flows through both pieces of equipment,
it is important to protect them from overheating. Continental has developed an active hightemperature sensor for this, one which reacts extremely rapidly and accurately to changes in
temperature. And Continental's new soot sensor monitors the exhaust gas flow downstream
of the catalyst to confirm that exhaust gas aftertreatment is functioning properly for the onboard diagnosis.
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Your contact person:
Mario Töpfer, Phone: +49 511 938-1304
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Less weight and friction improve environmental protection
Truck air springs featuring an innovative plastic piston from ContiTech represent a quantum
leap in weight savings. Up to 75% of the weight of conventional steel pistons is saved by
using a special plastic and employing a new simulation method, leading to savings of as
much as 12 kg per axle. In addition to fuel savings, reduced weight offers greater scope for
installing other components without increasing the overall weight or reducing the useful load.
A positive side-effect: Driving comfort is improved considerably. This innovation will be used
for the first time on the drive axles of the new Mercedes-Benz Actros.
ContiLifeCycle makes commercial vehicle tires more environmentally compatible
When it comes to tires, the importance of weight and friction for the environment is also a key
factor. 95 percent of all CO2 emissions in the product life cycle of tires is generated during
the utilization phase and only about 5 percent during production and distribution. With the
ContiLifeCycle program, Continental makes a sustainable contribution to the environmental
compatibility of commercial vehicle tires. Thanks to high-quality carcasses, several tire
utilization cycles are possible, either using the ContiRe hot retreading process or the
ContiTread cold retreading. As a supplement to this concept, Continental is building a new
production facility for retreading truck and bus tires as well as a recycling line for rubber from
used tires in Hanover. The company is investing more than €10 million in this project, which
will create more than 100 jobs. With its new recycling line, Continental is pursuing a novel
approach to recycling old tires in an economically and ecologically sound manner.
Further components for making trucks and buses more environmentally friendly include
special drive belts, such as the long-lasting V-ribbed belt CONTI® HEAVY DUTY POWER,
which lowers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions thanks to its special EPDM rubber
compound. The highly flexible CONTI® UNIPOWER ECO2 FLEX can further reduce loss of
performance in the auxiliary unit drive and, in turn, reduce fuel consumption and carbon
dioxide emissions.
.../4
Your contact person:
Mario Töpfer, Phone: +49 511 938-1304
-4Commercial vehicle manufacturers looking to increase the environmental firndliness of their
interior cab fittings as well can use the natural cover material Acella® Eco natural from
ContiTech subsidiary Benecke-Kaliko. This product is made up of 50% renewable raw
materials and has already proven its worth in passenger cars.
With sales of €30.5 billion in 2011, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers
worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis,
instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental
contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an expert
partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately
169,000 in 46 countries.
Contact for journalists
Simone Geldhäuser
External Communication
Continental
Division Powertrain
Siemensstr. 12
D-93055 Regensburg Germany
Phone +49 941 790-61302
Fax +49 941 790-99 61302
simone.geldhaeuser@continentalcorporation.com
Mario Töpfer
Head of Technical
Media Relations
ContiTech AG
Vahrenwalder Str. 9
D-30165 Hanover, Germany
Phone +49 511 938-1304
Fax +49 511 938-1305
mario.toepfer@contitech.de
More information on the IAA is available at: www.continental-corporation.com/iaa
Media database: www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com
Your contact person:
Mario Töpfer, Phone: +49 511 938-1304