Germany took a substantial step toward electrifying local and regional transit services with its inclusion of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid in its Electric Mobility Development Program. The country’s Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs is funding the use of multiple Citaro G BlueTec Hybrids within one of eight testing regions for this nationwide program. The $165 million Electric Mobility Development Program is a two-year testing program to create better alternative-fuel vehicles while stimulating the German economy.
The Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid is a hybrid-diesel bus with limited all-electric capabilities demonstrated in early testing. This hybrid bus features an 180kW lithium-ion battery mounted within a roof compartment alongside an extensive battery cooling system. Mercedes-Benz opted for the OM 924 LA engine instead of the standard OM 457 hLA unit to reduce weight while increasing fuel efficiency. The Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid features a regenerative braking system to augment the diesel generator, thereby reducing fuel consumption by leveraging energy saved from braking.
Daimler Buses plans to produce 30 units of the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid for deployment in German test regions by the end of 2010. The automaker is extremely confident about the test vehicle’s performance based on early returns from Arctic Circle testing. Daimler Buses put the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid through weeks of road testing to determine if the vehicle can start and operate effectively in adverse conditions. In addition to the limited all-electric power of the Citaro G, the automaker has touted this vehicle’s lowered emissions in order to win favor with the German government. The Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid cuts down on diesel usage by 30% with a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 20%.
The German Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs saw the eagerness of local governments to get involved in this program as soon as it solicited applications. The ministry collected 130 applications from local and regional governments throughout Germany for eight slots. The Electric Mobility Development Program is the right approach to both economic stimulus and hybrid vehicle rollouts thanks to the required rollout of EVs and hybrids by 2010. The introduction of the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid bus in eight German communities will show daily commuters the advancements in hybrid technology available with sufficient investments.
