14 DAY TRIAL // Part of a new pilot project in the “Munich District Energy Vision” initiative, a Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid bus has been delivered to the Munich district, Germany. The project aims to reduce the district’s energy consumption by 60 percent by the year 2050, and meeting the 40-percent demand with renewable forms of energy.
The benefits coming from the use of the new Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid will be seen on route number 266, running between the Planegg suburban railway station and the Grosshadern hospital.
“A dense network of bus stops, the central business district nearby and high passenger use provide ideal conditions to test and raise the public profile of the pioneering technology of these vehicles. The hybrid bus will now allow an almost noiseless and emissions-free service in the vicinity of the hospital,” said Jörg Schuchtmann, the Operations Manager of Watzinger bus company.
What makes the Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid Omnibus so special is that it currently is the only hybrid bus capable of completing a distance of up to ten kilometres on electricity only.
The diesel-hybrid drive system consists of four electric hub motors, which draw their juice from one of the world’s largest in-vehicle lithium-ion batteries.
These electric motors are also used for braking purposes, operating as generators to convert the energy braking into electrical current for the battery.
According to the manufacturer, in comparison with a straight diesel bus, the internal combustion engine is only half the size in total, weighing just 450 kg (992 lbs) instead of 1,000 kg (2,204 lbs), and with a displacement of only 4.8 litres as compared with 12 litres. Output is approximately one third lower, at 160 kW.
“In terms of exhaust emissions and noise reduction, hybrid as an eco-friendly drive technology stands out as the best option at the moment, because of its practical advantages and high level of electrification,” explains Ulrich Piotrowski, the Market Launch Manager for Mercedes-Benz hybrid and electric buses.