Growing calls for environment-friendly drive systems

A rapidly increasing number of official low emission zones, discussions (occasionally heated) about particulate emissions from vehicles and particulate concentrations in urban areas, the introduction next year of immission limits for nitrogen oxides in the European Union and last summer's oil price shock – these are just a few of the many factors behind the growing calls for a drive system which is emission-free and helps conserve resources at the same time.

The answer to these calls is the Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid bus. Its outstanding characteristic is the comprehensive environmental friendliness with which it operates. It emits no pollutants whatsoever while running and is also virtually silent. It is therefore extremely well suited to operation in heavily polluted city centres and in metropolitan areas. The Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid is the next logical step on the path to zero-emission public transport, which Daimler had already announced it would take, and thus represents an important element in the development of the mobility solutions of the future.

Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid

Reduced fuel consumption, extended service life

What's more, the commitment with which the development of the new technology of fuel-cell drive systems is being pursued means that its economic efficiency is increasing. In consequence, the developers of the Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid antici­pate that its hydrogen consumption will be reduced drastically – by almost half, in fact – compared with the first generation of fuel-cell buses.

At the same time, the technology has been enhanced and matured in all respects to such an extent that it is now significantly closer to series-production standard. In addition to the considerably increased service life of the fuel cells, which has now risen to at least six years or 12,000 hours of operation, the service require­ments have been reduced drastically: not only the fuel cells, but also the batteries and electric motors are practically maintenance-free for life. Furthermore, in a departure from the previous arrangement for fuel-cell buses, service and mainte­nance tasks will in future be performed by specially trained employees of the transport authorities which operate the buses.

Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid