Stuttgart, 30 January 2008. At the World Mobility Forum the Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec® Hybrid urban bus received the 2008 DEKRA environmental award. Clemens Klinke, Chairman of the Board of Management of DEKRA Automobil GmbH, presented the award to Andreas Renschler, member of the Daimler AG Board of Management with responsibility for Daimler Trucks & Daimler Buses, commenting that: "We have given the 2008 DEKRA environmental award to this bus drive technology because it provides an innovative and lasting contribution to the quality of life of our urban population." The DEKRA environmental award is oriented towards the principle of sustainability, and is awarded to projects, measures or initiatives which make a far-reaching and innovative contribution to environmental protection.
During the award ceremony Andreas Renschler responded: "The hybrid bus is part of our 'Shaping Future Transportation' initiative for a clean environment. With sales of 2.600 hybrid buses to date by its Orion brand in America and Fuso in Japan Daimler is the global market leader. In the Mercedes-Benz Citaro we are now offering a sustainable hybrid technology for the demanding European market."
According to DEKRA, the jury, consisting of environmental and transport scientists as well as specialist journalists, not only expressed their recognition of the Citaro Hybrid with this award, but also of the many decades of work by the Research and Development department at Daimler AG. "Since 1969 Daimler has repeatedly set milestones on the road to realising diesel-electric public-transport buses, and has now once again developed the right hybrid vehicle for the European market."
