Considerable reduction of load on rear axle

The 55 mm increase in wheelbase length to 5900 mm together with the repositioning of the batteries underneath the driver’s area on rigid vehicles has produced a significant shift in weight, so reducing the load on the rear axle. The leverage effect of the batteries’ new location alone relieves the rear axle of 171 kg of weight. The resulting gain in axle load capacity at the rear is required in anticipation of future exhaust legislation and the heavier assemblies that will need to be fitted in the rear overhang as a consequence. The batteries are furthermore perfectly accessible in their side-by-side arrangement. In the articulated Citaro G, the batteries remain in their previous position on a level with the centre axle, where weight is not a critical consideration.

The new Mercedes-Benz Citaro with 2 doors.

No heavier despite larger body

Despite the extra body length, the considerable increase in window surface area at the sides and the further major improvements to impact protection on the Euro V version, the new Mercedes-Benz Citaro is lighter overall than its predecessor. At the same time, passenger capacities are at least the same as before – a key criterion for transport operators’ profitability calculations.

Flexible and reliable electrics with PCB architecture

The central electrical compartment in the form of a cabinet behind the driver has also been redesigned. The new electrical system with PCB (printed circuit board) architecture is highly flexible and extremely reliable. It can be easily equipped for additional equipment and is very clearly arranged, resulting in good accessibility for maintenance work too. This dispenses with a great deal of complicated wiring and means there are fewer variants too.

Further improving reliability and durability was also the reason for rerouting cables from the underbody area so that they pass underneath the roof in the interior of the new Citaro, where they are safely protected from environmental influences. It was also possible to reduce the number of attachment points by half in the process, with standardised clips now being used mostly instead of bolts. Cable routing plays a particularly important role in the articulated bus. The switch from the previous S-shaped to the new C-shaped arrangement for routing electrical cables across the articulated section increases operational reliability.