Mercedes-Benz unveils CapaCity L

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its new CapaCity L bus in Germany, the model measuring 21 metres long and able to accept up to 191 passengers

A new giant has joined the Mercedes-Benz city bus line-up in Germany, with the articulated CapaCity L boasting a length of 21 metres – around three metres longer than a standard articulated bus and 1.5 metres longer than the original CapaCity.

The CapaCity debuted as a concept in 2005 and it entered volume production in 2007, but the CapaCity L is now the longest bus in the Mercedes-Benz range and is powered by a super-efficient Euro VI engine.

According to Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses, the new CapaCity L has an important role to play in combating increasingly complex transport issues in European cities.

"The CapaCity L makes an important contribution towards reducing the volume of traffic in inner cities," he says.

"It is the longest European bus with just one articulated turntable. Plus it is environmentally friendly – no other bus with a diesel engine has lower CO2 emissions per passenger."

Powered by a six-cylinder in-line diesel engine available with either 265kW (360hp) or 290kW (394hp) and a specially adapted automatic transmission, the CapaCity L is said to consume under 0.5L/100km per passenger, making it – says Mercedes-Benz – the most economical diesel bus with economy well below that of a passenger car. Emissions for the Euro VI unit are also low – just 13.3g per kilometre per passenger.

Able to accept up to 191 passengers, the new bus offers a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) solution for congested cities where bus frequency is already maximised.

The CapaCity L is based on Mercedes-Benz's Citaro G articulated bus but features extended front and rear sections. A steered fourth axle raises the bus's GVM to 32 tonnes and aids manoeuvrability, while the manufacturer says its unique Articulated Turntable Controller (ATC), a hydraulic damping system for the articulated turntable, stabilises the bus in slippery conditions and effectively serves as a stability control system for an articulated bus.

The CapaCity L has already undergone extensive winter testing in Scandinavia and will now be subjected to a real-world trial in Hamburg before entering volume production.

Mercedes-Benz unveils CapaCity L

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