EBS public transport compan receives 93 Mercedes-Benz Citaro NGT hybrid buses

From the end of August the EBS public transport company will be operating 93 Mercedes-Benz Citaro NGT hybrid low-floor urban buses in the Rotterdam – The Hague metropolitan area, Netherlands. The fleet is made up of 83 Citaro NGT hybrid solo buses and ten Citaro G NGT hybrid articulated buses. Their common characteristic is the combination of a gas-powered engine with a hybrid module.

EBS (Egged Bus Systems) is operating 93 urban buses on bus routes around The Hague. The EBS public transport company is located in the town of Purmerend north of Amsterdam and operates several bus routes in the Netherlands. In addition to the gas-powered engine, hybrid module and the ZF Ecolife automatic transmission, the urban buses are equipped with electrohydraulic intelligent eco steering - a recuperation module for recuperating electric power - and LED headlamps.

Passengers enjoy an air-conditioned passenger compartment, comfortable Inter Star Eco overland seats with particularly high backrests and infotainment with TFT screens in a 29-inch format (two on solo buses or three on articulated buses). Passengers can charge their own end devices using numerous USB ports. The striking red design of the vehicle floor as well as the grab rails and ceiling hand rails also convey a feeling of safety to visually impaired passengers.

The combination of a gas-powered engine with a hybrid module is a unique selling point for the Citaro NGT hybrid in Europe. The Mercedes-Benz M 936 G gas-powered engine delivers 222 kW (302 hp) from 7.7 l displacement and achieves a maximum torque of 1200 Nm. When used in conjunction with biogas or biomethane, the Citaro NGT hybrid is almost CO2 neutral.

The electric motor of the hybrid module supports the gas-powered engine primarily when the vehicle pulls away and the demand for power is high with an output of up to 14 kW and 220 Nm torque. The ability to provide for this maximum demand in power reduces fuel consumption, which is already low, by up to 8.5%. Accordingly, emissions are lower.

The use of the hybrid module also further reduces the low noise levels of the natural-gas engine when pulling away. The electric power for the electric motor is recuperated during braking and overrun phases at no cost. It is stored in double-layer capacitors - so-called supercaps