Berlin rejects hybrids on financial grounds

摘要

Cash-strapped Berlin undertaking BVG has abandoned plans to buy new diesel-hybrids and hydrogen-powered buses. The U-turn comes only six months after BVG-chief Sigrid Nikutta launched a campaign to boost the number of 'green' buses wearing its trademark canary yellow livery. Despite a positive response from passengers, trials with an MAN Lion's City hybrid single-decker on the urban M49 and X49 routes in Spandau and Charlottenburg were halted after only three days. Management said the claimed fuel savings of between 1 0 and 20% were insufficient to justify the €100,000 (￡86,000) price premium over the standard diesel version.