Mercedes-Benz Citaro


The Mercedes-Benz Citaro is a low-floor single-decker, rigid or articulated bus manufactured by Mercedes-Benz/EvoBus. Introduced in 1997, the Citaro is available in a range of configurations, and is in widespread use throughout Europe and parts of Asia, with more than 55,000 produced by December 2019.

History

The first generation Citaro was launched in 1997, as a successor to the Mercedes-Benz O405N.
In 2005, an updated version of the Citaro to coincide with the introduction of Euro IV- compliant engines. Apart from minor technical alterations, mainly to accommodate the new generation of engines, the external design received a facelift to give the buses a less angular look, with internal panelling altered accordingly. Production of the old model ceased by autumn 2006.
In 2006 the Citaro received a much more substantial facelift, which can be seen from the outside by a revised front and rear design. The hitherto characteristic feature of the first series, the "washboard trim" on the front of the vehicle, which was also available as a front advertising area and smooth surface without Mercedes star, accounted for a somewhat rounded front baffle. The lateral sweep of the front turn signals was reversed.
In May 2011, the second generation Citaro, referred to internally as the C2, was launched. From 2012, the C2 could also be equipped with Euro 6 engines. The C2 versions of the Citaro LE models were the last to be presented, at Busworld Kortrijk in October 2013.

Models

There are three basic versions of the Citaro available in 2019: The standard 12m Citaro, the shorter 10m Citaro K and the articulated 18m Citaro G. Hybrid versions of all three lengths and one full electric version with standard and articulated versions are also available.

Urban model (Current)

The standard urban model is available in a number of versions:
  • O530 diesel: solo bus, length 12m, 2 axles, horizontal or vertical engine, 2 or 3 doors, even with front door only
  • O530 eCitaro/battery-electric: solo bus with full electric drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 diesel-electric Hybrid: solo bus with diesel-electric drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 NGT: solo bus with natural gas drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 NGT Hybrid: solo bus with natural gas-electric drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 G diesel: articulated bus, length 18m, 3 axles, horizontal or vertical engine, 3 or 4 doors, also with 2 doors only
  • O530 G diesel-electric Hybrid: articulated bus with diesel-electric drive, length 18m, 3 axles, 3 or 4 doors
  • O530 G NGT: articulated bus with natural gas drive, length 18m, 3 axles, 3 or 4 doors
  • O530 GL: articulated bus , length 19.5m, 4 axles, 3 or 4 doors
  • O530 GL II: articulated bus , length 21.0m, 4 axles, 4 or 5 doors
  • O530 K diesel: midibus, length 10.5m, 2 axles, horizontal or vertical engine, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 K diesel-electric Hybrid: midibus with diesel-electric drive, length 10.5m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 LE diesel: low entry solo bus, length 12m, 2 axles, horizontal engine, 2 or 3 doors
  • File:ZET Bus 220 MSU.jpg|thumb|Citaro G Articulated on ZET line 220 to Dugave in ZagrebO530 LE Hybrid: low entry solo bus with diesel-electric drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors

    Suburban / interurban model (Current)

A series of suburban/interurban versions is also produced, with single front doors and all seats fitted on platforms:
  • O530 GÜ: articulated bus, length 18m, 3 axles, 3 doors
  • O530 LE Ü: low-entry solo bus, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 doors
  • O530 LE MÜ: low-entry, length 13m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 Ü diesel: solo bus, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 doors
  • O530 Hybrid Ü: solo bus with diesel-electric drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 doors

    Discontinued models

Urban

  • O530 CNG: natural gas drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 2 or 3 doors
  • O530 G CNG: articulated bus with natural gas drive, length 18m, 3 axles, 3 or 4 doors
  • O530 FuelCell Hybrid: hydrogen-fuel cell hybrid drive, length 12m, 2 axles, 3 doors
  • O530 G BlueTec Hybrid: articulated bus with diesel-electric hybrid drive, length 18m, 3 axles, 3 or 4 doors
  • O530 L: solo bus, length 15m, 3 axles, 2 or 3 doors

    Suburban / interurban

  • O530 MÜ: solo bus, length 13m, 2 axles, 2 doors
  • O530 LÜ: solo bus, length 15m, 3 axles, 2 or 3 doors

    Specifications

Operators are able to choose between two different front stylings: the standard design features an angled destination display, like a roof dome, and is primarily marketed for urban buses, while a version with a one-piece windscreen covering the destination display also is available and is primarily intended for interurban use. However, all models are available with either version.
With the introduction of second generation Citaro, the front destination display was slightly enlarged, which juts a bit out of the vehicle roof. As a result, Mercedes-Benz designed a small fairing at both sides of destination display. This fairing is available on all models by default. Later, after the introduction of Euro VI version, which results a complete structural change in engine compartment, also the rear destination display was enlarged and added with a fairing. However, afterwards, customers are also able to order a front display without fairing, whether urban or interurban versions.
Other customizations include the number and type of doors as well as the interior layout. Two types of seats are offered as part of the standard range, again with a basic model for urban use and an enhanced version for longer-distance routes, although both also are available on all models.
Aside from the usual diesel engines, the Citaro is also available with a powerful Euro VI natural gas engine M936G rated by 222 kW. It can be optionally combined with the new hybrid system of Mercedes-Benz, which helps to save more fuel and lower emissions.

Non-standard bodies

As a one-off, German operators üstra of Hanover and LVB of Leipzig took delivery of a batch of Citaros bodied to a special design by James Irvine for Expo 2000. Leipzig's vehicles were lent to Hanover for the duration of the exhibition, but subsequently returned to normal service in their home city. All other Citaros bodied by Mercedes-Benz were to standard designs, however a number of chassis were bodied by independent manufacturers, most notably Hess of Switzerland. However, the Citaro has more recently only been sold as a complete product.
In 2007 the workshops of the Szeged bus operator SZKT converted a regular Citaro to a trolleybus. As of April 2010, five such buses are already serving as a trolley and more examples are in preparation in the near future.
In 2009, the Centre of Ambulance Services in Dubai took delivery of three Citaros, which had been modified to become the world's largest ambulances.
In 2010, the French city Rennes ordered a longer version of the Citaro, the Citaro M, which is 13 meters long with an urban arrangement. 15 vehicles were built over the chassis of the Setra S416NF.

Hydrogen fuel cell version

Even though the usual Citaro models are powered by diesel or natural gas, there is also a hydrogen fuel cell-powered version, designated Citaro BZ or O530BZ. During the combustion process, only water steam are produced, so the vehicle is very environmentally friendly. The hydrogen tanks are located in the roof, which results an increased vehicle height at. These buses have 3 doors, low floor configurations, and are capable for a top speed of. About 35 of these buses have been in service in a variety of different world cities in order to test the feasibility of hydrogen fuel cells in numerous countries or continents, different operating circumstances and different conditions, especially weather conditions.

Hybrid electric version

The Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid is a series-hybrid articulated bus with a compact 450 kg, 4-cylinder, 4.8-litre, 160 kW, Euro 4 OM-924LA diesel engine providing power for a roof-mounted 19.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and four 80 kW electric wheel hub motors located on the centre and rear axles. The battery pack is also charged by regenerative braking. The manufacturer anticipates fuel consumption 20% lower than conventional diesel Citaros.
In 2010, selected bendy buses were delivered in hybrid version to Wuppertal, Stuttgart, Krefeld, Hamburg and Mülheim. Other buses were also delivered to Essen, Duisburg, Munich, Mainz, Hamburg and Rostock are also in the rigid versions. The Dresden and Leipzig also delivered their Citaro hybrid buses in 2011.
Eventually, Daimler decided not to upgrade BlueTec Hybrid variants to second generation of Citaro. Instead, in 2017, they launched Citaro Hybrid variants of Citaro and NGT, which uses mild hybrid drive, much cheaper to manufacture than BlueTec Hybrid drive. It uses 14 kW, disc-shaped electric motor mounted between combustion engine and transmission for energy recuperation and can provide a torque of up to 220 Nm.

Battery version / eCitaro

Since 2015, Aachen Transport runs a battery-powered Citaro articulated bus as a test in scheduled operation. The vehicle was converted in 2014 from a hybrid bus to a battery bus. They removed all diesel components and installed 1300 traction batteries with a total capacity of approximately 180 kWh. The axle loads remained unchanged. The vehicle has four wheel hub motors with 60 kW continuous power on the second and third axle and has a range of more than. The conversion was carried out as part of the EU project Civitas and was funded by the Aachen Transport Association to 75 percent. The costs for the hardware amounted to approximately 700,000 euros.
Mercedes-Benz tested prototypes of the Citaro with full electric drive. The bus features a modular battery pack design and use the same electric wheel hub motors as the Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid. It was launched at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover in September 2018 as eCitaro. It uses modified bodywork of standard Citaro with front adopted from Daimler's concept Future Bus. It was first launched as 12 m solo bus. Later, an articulated 18 m version of eCitaro was added to offer.
On 15 November 2018, the first series of eCitaro was delivered to its first customer: Hochbahn AG, a public transport company in Hamburg, with a total of 20 at first. In year 2019, more customers started operating eCitaros, including Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, Zugerland Verkehrsbetriebe, and Bus Ostschweiz. This was also followed with orders from Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein with 16 buses, ESWE Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH from Wiesbaden with 56, and ÜSTRA from Hannover with 48. Mercedes-Benz also received orders from foreign countries, which contains Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden. In addition, the eCitaro has been crowned to City Bus of the Year 2019 in Spain on 11 February 2019. In 2021, the national bus operator of Hungary, Volánbusz ordered 40 eCitaros, and in 2023, Transdev Blazefield in the United Kingdom ordered 35 eCitaros for their Harrogate Bus Company and Keighley Bus Company subsidiaries, the first 20 of which entered service with the former in November 2024.
In 2023, a version with a Toyota hydrogen fuel cell range extender will be offered, allowing a range of up to, compared to for the battery electric model.
On 15 September 2024, Mercedes-Benz launched a shorter 10.63-meter version at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover. Called the eCitaro K, it featured a 4,398 mm wheelbase and a turning radius of just 17.28 meters. The eCitaro K is powered by a five high-voltage battery packs with a combined capacity of 491 kWh and delivers a range of 300 km under optimal conditions.