The fuel cell stacks of the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid are identical to those of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class FCELL with fuel cell drive, which is also being put to the test by customers in Hamburg.
The concept behind the new FuelCELL bus essentially corresponds to that of the Mercedes-Benz BlueTec Hybrid buses which are in service in Hamburg. A key difference is that the latter derive their electric power from a diesel generator, while in the new FuelCELL buses the fuel cells generate the electricity for the drive motors, without producing any emissions whatsoever.
"With the new FuelCELL Hybrid vehicles, Hamburg is once again assuming a pioneering role in this field. This transport company has already made a name for itself and acquired good experience with its trials in Europe of fuel cell buses from the previous generation. Passengers and drivers were also delighted with the new technology," said Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses.
"According to all the forecasts, 20 to 25 years from now mineral oil and, in turn, diesel will be in short supply and too expensive to be a viable fuel for buses. From the coming decade on, HOCHBAHN thus aims to purchase only electrically driven zero-emission buses. Commissioning this new generation of buses represents an important step on the road to electric mobility," explained
Gunter Elste, CEO of Hamburger Hochbahn AG.
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