GERMANY
German operator Medenbach Traffic has received the first 10 of 57 Mercedes Benz Citaro hybrid buses, handed over at the manufacturer’s Mannheim bus plant. The total order consists of 39 Citaro hybrid inter-city buses, 13 Citaro hybrid articulated buses and five short Citaro K hybrids. Managing Director of Medenbach Traffic Timo Medenbach was presented with a symbolic key by Sinisa Ristic, Sales Manager at Mercedes Benz Buses.
The new buses will be introduced in mid-December and use a mild hybrid drive with 14kW electric motor at its core which supports the combustion engine when pulling away, reducing fuel consumption by up to 8.5%.
Family-run Medenbach is based in Weilburg, central Hesse, and was founded in 1935 as a haulage company. The introduction of the first regular bus route from Weilburg to Wetzlar in 1951 heralded the start of Medenbach Traffic in its present form. The company’s fleet comprises around 110 vehicles, including the 57 new Citaro hybrids, covering over four million kilometres per year between them.
