Secure yourself a decisive advantage and simultaneously the good feeling of doing the best for your passengers, the environment and your business. With the Citaro hybrid, Mercedes-Benz is opening a new chapter in drive systems for urban and inter-city buses. Specially developed for the demands of regular-service bus routes in urban conurbations, the Citaro hybrid stands for contemporary mobility with reduced consumption and the perfect interplay of economy and sustainability. The compact hybrid system makes your urban bus an economical and ecological all-rounder in urban centres.

The Citaro hybrid is a milestone for Mercedes-Benz in the hybrid segment: hybrid technology is available as special equipment for an exceptionally wide range of city buses with diesel engines. Instead of individual independent hybrid buses, numerous Citaro models with the 936 engine series benefit from the forward-looking hybrid module.

Thanks to the space-saving design and minimal weight of the additional assemblies, the basic vehicle of the Citaro model series only changes minimally in its dimensions. The height and passenger-carrying capacity remain almost unchanged.

With every Citaro hybrid, you have a comprehensive economical solution in your fleet. Its drive is not a transitional technology towards entirely electric driving. On the contrary, with it, Mercedes-Benz is optimising the Euro VI combustion engines to maximum efficiency in a unique way. The result: the Citaro hybrid with its favourable Total Cost of Ownership pays off.

The Citaro hybrid was specially developed for the demands of regular-service bus routes in urban conurbations and stands for contemporary mobility with reduced consumption. The economical diesel engine is assisted by the additional drive power of a highly efficient, compact hybrid module.

The 14 kW electric motor generates energy when coasting and braking. It therefore assists the diesel engine when pulling away. Depending on use, this can reduce the fuel consumption by up to 8.5 percent.

Numerous assistance systems support the driver. The Citaro hybrid is equipped as standard with the turning assistant Sideguard Assist 2, Frontguard Assist, Traffic Sign Assist and the Tyre Pressure Monitoring. The optional Preventive Brake Assist 2 warns of obstacles and people in front of the vehicle and initiates partial braking in the event of danger. On the Citaro G hybrid, the Articulation Turntable Controller (ATC) guarantees optimal steering behaviour by the rapid, requirements-based hydraulic damping of the articulation. The optional MirrorCam provides better visibility to the rear and sides and thereby ensures greater safety.

Meanwhile, Acceleration Skid Control (ASR) prevents the drive wheels from spinning. With the Electropneumatic Braking System (EBS) the stopping distance is significantly shortened, as the brakes are actuated more quickly and precisely. Ensuring pre-emptive braking and manoeuvring are the Preventive Brake Assist and Sideguard Assist systems.

With every Citaro hybrid you have a comprehensive economic solution on your timetable. Its drive system is a uniquely optimised version of the Euro VI combustion engine which delivers the greatest possible efficiency.

The interplay of combustion engine for the base load and electric motor for peak loads ensures a high level of energy efficiency of the drive system when driving. The components designed for greatly varying loads are constructed in a very robust manner. Their high durability is comparable with those of conventional combustion-engine powertrains.

With its high power-to-size ratio, the innovative supercaps use condenser technology to store the electrical energy from and for the electric motor, saving space and doing so safely. They are designed for the continuous, quick change between charging and discharging in a typical urban bus cycle and have a high level of durability.

The efficiency-optimised lightweight running axle also contributes to increased efficiency in the Citaro hybrid: on the one hand, through fuel savings due to the lower running resistance, and on the other, through less maintenance and a prolonged maintenance interval — from 180,000 to 240,000 km.

In the Citaro hybrid, the intelligent eco steering electrohydraulic steering system also contributes to high energy efficiency. It works in a way that is requirements-optimised, while contributing to reduced fuel consumption in public service applications.

The Citaro hybrid provides its passengers every comfort that the renowned Citaro models have to offer, without exception. No item of equipment in the interior is influenced by the hybrid technology, itself invisible to the passengers and driver. You already feel in good hands when you get in.

This is ensured, among other things, by the generous space concept, pleasant seats, ergonomically optimised grab rails and the comfortable headroom. Various equipment lines can be individually chosen for each planned use. Therefore everyone will find the ideal vehicle for their intended use. Depending on the equipment line, a powerful air-conditioning system*, as well as the integral roof heater and side wall heaters can make the time on-board a pleasant one.

The only difference between the Citaro hybrid and vehicles of its model series with a combustion engine: up to three spaces for standing passengers are lost from the theoretical maximum capacity due to the hybrid components, which weigh in at a relatively light 156 kg. But in everyday use that should only rarely be an issue.