COVER STORY

Citaro Electrified! Mercedes-Benz eCitaro set to arrive in Ireland

The first version of the electric MercedesBenz Citaro was officially launched at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hannover in 2018. Parent company Daimler Bus chose another exhibition to introduce the RHD (right hand drive) version, this time at the recent ITT Hub event at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre. Fleet Bus & Coach was present for the reveal and inaugural drive.

Daimler Bus would be the first to acknowledge its Mercedes-Benz brand was not the first to the market with an electric bus, but it had always claimed that it would prefer to be the best, rather than before everyone else. The Citaro is already a well proven product with over 50,000 units in operation worldwide. Effectively, Mercedes-Benz’ engineers have electrified a successful model, one that is ready to compete head on with the best in the sector. While the technology within the bus is very different to the diesel version, it retains the style and sturdiness of the tried and tested original.

UK & Ireland distributor Evobus will start demonstrating the bus to Irish customers in the coming months, with orders being taken for deliveries expected in the early part of next year. Neil Gladstone of Evobus is confident that the eCitaro will be well received and being emission-free, help to retain the brand’s share of the market.

FIRST DRIvE

At Farnborough, Fleet Bus & Coach availed of the opportunity to drive the bus on the perimeter road around the Airport. The route was a mixture of paved areas, tarmac and concrete surfaces. Ideal terrain and a good snapshot of the environment and streetscape that the eCitaro will spend its working life in. In the drivers’ area the standard Citaro always seemed quiet, but the eCitaro brings a whole new level of quietness. The cab is individually climatised, and separated from the passenger compartment by a partition covering half the width of the rear door. The driver sits on a heated and climate-controlled seat. The cockpit is as per the conventional model except that the rev counter is replaced by a power meter that displays the energy flow of the vehicle. Drivers receive additional information from the central display between the speedometer and power meter. The windscreen and side windows on the right and left, are electrically heated and the glazed area remains largely mist-free as a result, increasing safety through better visibility. Included also are rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights, as well as an electrically adjustable inside rear-view mirror for monitoring the passenger compartment.

PASSENgER AREA

In the passenger area, the sound of silence takes some getting used to. Years of experience at Daimler Bus building the Citaro, means the engineers have managed to reduce body noise and movement to a point where it is almost non-existent.

Some of the features of the test vehicle included capacity for 80 passengers, 26 USB sockets, a range capability of over 150km (minimum) and a variety of safety items such as Sideguard Assist and active brake assist. The roof-mounted battery pack is concealed behind an elegant roof-edge ridge, made from a multi-piece extruded aluminium section. The glossy black lower segment extends the generous side-window glazing of this urban or city bus. The upper segment is painted in the vehicle colour.

SAFETY SYSTEMS

As mentioned, the eCitaro is equipped with all the assistance and safety systems that are currently available. For example, Sideguard Assist. Its radar sensors monitor the lane to the right of the vehicle throughout its full length and beyond. Sideguard Assist initially informs the driver when an obstacle has been detected in the warning zone. Another warning is issued should the driver initiate or continue with a manoeuvre when pulling away or driving that could lead to a collision. If a moving object is in the monitoring zone to the side of the vehicle, a yellow LED lamp lights up at the driver’s eye level in the A pillar on the right-hand side. If there is a risk of collision, the LED flashes brightly several times in red. It then remains permanently illuminated in red. There is also a haptic vibration in the drivers’ seat.

Citaro has always been popular and well received in Ireland. With the eCitaro, operators and their passengers will be well served with this zero-emission commuter bus.