The high-visibility Mercedes-Benz Econic has been hailed as a winner by London’s influential cycling community.
The model has already won praise from the capital’s construction industry for its low driving position and field of vision from the cab – now Mercedes-Benz Trucks has won the Pro-cycling Business of the Year category at the 2016 London Cycling Awards.
The trophy was presented at the Spin Festival bike event, held at the Old Truman Brewery media complex in the East End.
Judges singled out the Econic’s cab design, which affords drivers a panoramic field of vision, and its seating position which places the driver’s head almost level with that of a cyclist, so that each is in the other’s direct line of sight.
The panel commented: “Mercedes-Benz was the first company to respond to the call from both CLOCS (Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety) and the London Cycling Campaign for a construction vehicle with a low-entry cab and panoramic, or high, vision that greatly reduces blind spots.
"Since first demonstrating such a vehicle in 2014, an adaptation of the Econic refuse vehicle, more than 130 units have been put into service in London.
“Call them panoramic, high or even direct vision, these trucks have lower cabs and fewer blind spots and Mercedes-Benz got there first by adapting their Econic for construction use and in doing so cyclists and pedestrians are much more visible to their drivers.”
Standard Econic equipment includes an arsenal of Mercedes-Benz safety assistance systems: the Electro-Pneumatic Braking System (EPB) and Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) improve the vehicle’s stopping performance; Electronic Stability Program (ESP) adds greater security in critical driving situations; and Acceleration Skid Control (ASR) prevents the wheels from spinning.
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