Mercedes-Benz at the GPEC 2020 -In secure shape for the future 18.02.2020: Passenger cars, vans and trucks: the extensive Mercedes-Benz portfolio offers the right vehicle for every police application. All set for the future: electric, hybrid and hydro

    Passenger cars, vans and trucks: the extensive Mercedes-Benz portfolio offers the right vehicle for every police application.



    All set for the future: electric, hybrid and hydrogen drives plus state-of-the-art diesel engines on the show booth in Hall 11.


    As versatile as your applications: the Mercedes-Benz Vito is an all-rounder in police operations.




At the 11th General Police Equipment Exhibition & Conference® (GPEC) in 2020 Mercedes-Benz is presenting itself as a full-line supplier of police vehicles. The focus of its presence at this International Exhibition for Internal Security is on the wide range of drive variants offered.



From 18 to 20 February the company is presenting a total of 15 exhibits in Frankfurt am Main, from the passenger car and the van to the truck. The Mercedes-Benz stand in Hall 11 (Stand C006) covers an area of 324 square metres and includes a total of five vehicles with electric, hybrid and hydrogen drives and state-of-the-art diesel technology, demonstrating that Mercedes-Benz is optimally equipped for the different mobility challenges of tomorrow facing the police.




In the foyer area in front of the exhibition hall, six vehicles demonstrate the wide choice of versions of the Mercedes-Benz Vito, which is increasingly proving its worth as a multipurpose operations vehicle for the police. In the entrance area of the "Portalhaus" and the outside area of the Frankfurt trade fair site a Sprinter ambulance and an Arocs 3-axle hook roll-off tipper round off the portfolio. In front of the exhibition hall there are also two eVito vehicles available for test drives.



"Every two years the GPEC is one of the most important dates in our calendar", says Kersten Trieb, head of the Department for Government and Special-Purpose Vehicles at Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany. "We can demonstrate at a glance here that our vehicles' diverse possible applications for the police reflect the diversity of our products. We are delighted that many police authorities are placing their trust in our vehicles and services for their fleet, enabling us to make our contribution to increased security."





Mercedes-Benz passenger cars – wide variety of drives for the future




The passenger car models exhibited on the Mercedes-Benz stand are all about alternative drives: from the E-Class 300 de Estate (weighted fuel consumption 1.5 l/100 km; weighted CO2 emissions 41 g/km, weighted electrical consumption 17.5 kWh/100 km)[1] as a plug-in hybrid with the latest diesel engine and the GLC F-CELL (combined hydrogen consumption: 0.91 kg/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km, combined power consumption: 18.0 kWh/100 km)[2] with fuel cell and battery operation to the purely battery-electric EQC (combined electrical consumption: 20.8-19.7 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km)[3] the Stuttgart car maker is clearly demonstrating just how diverse electric mobility with the three-pointed star can be.



Mercedes-Benz is presenting the new EQC as a show car in police livery for the first time. The first Mercedes-Benz model from the new product and technology brand EQ combines the hallmark brand characteristics such as quality, safety and comfort. Alongside pioneering design details and a generous range, the EQC is also characterised by the top safety level for which the brand is renowned.



For instance, the vehicle is equipped with the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz driving assistance systems. These include new functions in the Driving Assistance Package, such as anticipatory speed adaptation in respect of the end of tailbacks. And the EQC meets the most discerning requirements when it comes to passive safety, too: in addition to the usual, extensive programme of crash tests, Mercedes-Benz applies further, particularly stringent safety standards to the battery and all component parts carrying electrical current. These standards exceed legal requirements.




The locally emission-free GLC F-CELL being displayed on the stand also stands for a new Mercedes-Benz era of sustainable mobility. This is the first radio patrol car from Mercedes-Benz to have a fuel cell and battery drive, and it has been in use by the Hamburg police force since 2019.



The special plug-in hybrid combines the innovative fuel cell and battery technology for the first time: apart from electricity, it also runs on pure hydrogen. Intelligent interplay between battery and fuel cell, the long range, and short refuelling times make the GLC F-CELL a highly practical, purely electric vehicle suitable for short- and long-distance motoring.



A further highlight is the E 300 de Estate, which is a beacon of efficiency and low emission values. The plug-in-hybrid model is fitted with the latest Mercedes-Benz diesel engine and combines the best of both worlds. In town, it runs in all-electric mode, while on long journeys it benefits from the range of the combustion engine. The intelligent, route-based operating strategy activates the electric driving mode where this is most appropriate for the route. For example, it takes into account navigation data, topography, speed limits and the traffic conditions for the entire planned route. The ECO Assistant coaches the driver and helps to save fuel.





The Mercedes-Benz Vito – the right variant for every application



Mercedes-Benz Vans has a long history of trusted partnership with the police, thereby contributing to added safety. The sheer diversity of the products reflects the vehicles' diverse possible applications. At this year's GPEC the Vito mid-size van is in the limelight, represented by a total of eight specimens in different guises.



As the requirements with regard to equipment and also the complexity of police work itself are increasing, the Vito is becoming increasingly important to the police - both as a patrol car and as an operations vehicle for the transport police, the police dog unit and many other departments. The wide variety of variants exhibited at the show references three available wheelbases (compact, long, extra-long), various drive forms (front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all-wheel drive) and different conversion variants.



A special feature of the Vito can also be seen in the seating: this is where the special "police seat" developed by Mercedes-Benz Vans and assessed by the Fraunhofer Institute at the University of Stuttgart is presented. The seat cushions for the driver and co-driver are flattened on this variant in order to make entry and exit significantly easier and more convenient.



The backrest was adapted to the requirements of police operations, and the seat belt buckle is also longer and flexible, meaning that the seat belt can be fastened and unfastened quickly and easily, even when the occupants are wearing extensive police equipment, such as functional belts including a pistol, handcuffs, truncheon, pepper spray and torch. A robust seat cover, head restraints adjustable for length and height, thorax/pelvis side airbags and an electropneumatically adjustable lumbar support – which counteracts poor lower back posture – complete the package.



Mercedes-Benz Vans plans in future to offer all commercial vans with an electric powertrain. The first of these was the eVito, which has been on sale since last spring and is available for test drives at the show. The battery-electric eSprinter will follow this spring. In its latest variant with a conventional drive there is also a Sprinter as a deployment vehicle for the German Federal Police exhibited on the stand, and in ambulance guise in the outside area.






Mercedes-Benz Arocs 2543 L 6x2 ENA with Meiller container handling system



In the outdoor grounds at the GPEC, Mercedes-Benz will present a Mercedes-Benz Arocs 2543 L 6x2 heavy-duty truck with an electronic trailing axle (ETA). The 25-tonne platform chassis has a Meiller roll-off body. The body is a Meiller RS 21.65 model roll-off tipper. The swap bodies are from Empl.



The OM 470 LA six-cylinder inline engine delivers an output of 315 kW (428 hp) from a displacement of 10.7 l and boasts a maximum torque of 2100 Nm. The long ClassicSpace cab painted in the cobalt blue colour of the Federal Police is 2.30 m wide and offers room for three police officers and their personal equipment. The Arocs 2542 L is equipped with the key safety assistance systems, such as Active Brake Assist and Sideguard Assist. The Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmission ensures vigorous transfer of power to the road.



The Arocs is also equipped with a Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive (HAD). This is an additional hydraulic drive on the front wheels which is engageable up to 25 km/h, giving the Arocs a traction boost for occasional use in off-road terrain. Like the Arocs on display, the roll-off tipper and skip loader require additional traction support when unloading on unsurfaced or slippery ground. This also applies during operations by the police task force in snowy regions, in poor road conditions or in difficult terrain.



The container-handling vehicle can be used in a wide range of police tasks, above all for logistical applications of all kinds. With the various swap bodies, material can be transported more flexibly, which means that non-operational times can also be cut. A steel tipper, box body and platform/tarp/roof bow are the first products to have been procured as swap bodies, the latter also with a vertical lift. The Arocs 2543 L 6x2 ENA vehicles also serve as towing vehicles for transportation trailers with container handling systems or low-loader trailers.



The Arocs of the Federal Police are produced in the Mercedes-Benz truck production plant in Wörth. Not far from the Wörth plant, F&B Nutzfahrzeug-Technik GmbH is located in the area of equipment and retrofitting of commercial vehicles. For example, F&B was responsible for the conversion and expansion of the police operation vehicle, such as the special signal system and the installation of the provided digital radio system. The Federal Police and individual State Police have procured numerous Mercedes-Benz Arocs 2543 L 6x3 ENA trucks.






[1] The stated figures are the measured "NEDC CO2 figures" in accordance with Art. 2 no. 1 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. Fuel consumption figures have been calculated on this basis. The range and the power consumption have been determined on the basis of Regulation (EC) No. 692/2008. A different value is applied in accordance with EmoG. A higher value may be used as the basis for calculating vehicle tax. Further information on the official fuel consumption and the official specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the "Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO2-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch neuer Personenkraftwagen" [Guide to fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and power consumption of new passenger cars], which is available free of charge at all sales outlets and from Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH at www.dat.de.

[2] The figures for hydrogen consumption, power consumption and CO2 emissions were established using the prescribed measuring method acc. to Directive (EG) No. 692/2008

[3] Power consumption and range have been determined on the basis of Regulation (EC) No. 692/2008. Power consumption and range depend on the vehicle configuration.






    Andreas Leo- photos Mercedes