Mercedes-Benz Econic – built for the city

Since 2015, the Econic has been operating in London in the guise of a tipper, a cement mixer and a skip loader, all of which are based on the 8x4 chassis.

Econic in construction site operations in the London city centre.

As a result of the increase in inner-city traffic accidents with cyclists and pedestrians, the Ministry of Transport of the City of London commissioned an independent investigative committee in 2012 to define the causes of accidents and preventive measures. The report of findings of the Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety Commission (CLOCS) was published in February 2013. It became apparent that there was hardly any information about the risks inner-city construction transport presented to road safety and that is was consequently factored in insufficiently in the past. In addition, there were no binding industry standards for road safety in inner-city construction transport. In response to the findings of the study, the industry with support form the City of London began establishing a culture of safety and taking measures to increase road safety in construction transport. The aim is to use commercial vehicles with maximum visibility and with high ergonomics and safety standards for inner-city construction transport.

Econic – established and ready for demanding jobs.

While other manufacturers endeavour to develop a truck that is specifically suited for jobs in urban traffic and to establish it in the market, the Mercedes-Benz Econic has been offering a repeatedly proven and application-oriented solution for almost 20 years. The vehicle concept is designed strictly for versatility, ergonomics and safety, which puts the Econic in a class by itself.

With its unique low-entry concept, modern BlueTec 6 engines and first-class Mercedes-Benz quality, the Econic meets all requirements that must be met in inner-city districts with high traffic density: efficiency, safety, environmental friendliness and comfort.

Demanding jobs are normal procedure for the Econic – whether as a waste disposal vehicle or as a vehicle for inner-city distribution transport. The Econic offers a chassis platform for a wide range of bodies and applications, and now for the first time also for inner-city construction transport.

The advantages of the driver's low seating position, supplemented with the extensive panoramic glazing and the mirror system, provide the driver with virtually unrestricted visibility in front of the vehicle and on both sides – a clear advantage in confusing urban traffic with pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, the Econic is easy on drivers and co-drivers. The cab can be reached with just one step. On a busy workday that saves them several metres they don't have to climb up or down.

Standard equipment: sophisticated safety concept.

To further expand the field of vision and to minimise the blind spot, the Econic is equipped with a pneumatic, inward-opening fully glazed folding door on the side facing away from traffic, which offers a view of obstacles and third parties.

The Econic offers an additional pre-installation that makes it easy to mount external cameras and connect monitors. These cameras show the driver the vehicle's surroundings from different angles and thereby further enhance the safety of all road users.

To ensure the driver is able to fully concentrate on the immediate surroundings, the Econic comes as standard with an Allison automatic transmission, a host of driver assistance systems and many convenience features.

The standard equipment includes extensive Mercedes-Benz safety assistance systems: the electro-pneumatic braking system (EPB) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) improve the stopping power of the braking system and as a result contribute to the safety of the vehicle, its occupants and other road users.

The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is another safety feature for critical handling situations, and acceleration skid control (ASR) prevents the wheels from spinning. Since March 2015, the Econic is standard-equipped with the Active Brake Assist (ABA) emergency braking system and Lane Keeping Assist, which warns the driver audibly of inadvertently departing from the lane.

Protects not only man, but the environment as well.

The available diesel engines with power outputs of 220 kW (299 hp) and 260 kW (354 hp) and up to four percent less fuel consumption comply with the strict Euro VI emissions standard, in effect since 2013. This translates into 50 percent less diesel particulate matter and 90 percent less nitrogen oxides compared with the Euro V emissions standard.