VDL Bus & Coach wins prestigious ‘Red Dot’ again for design of the new generation Citea
The jury of the world’s most prestigious design competition, Red Dot, gave the award in the ‘Product Design’ category to the new generation Citea. The electric buses from VDL Bus & Coach are entirely based on an electric drive train and have trend-setting features. The jury praised the “high design quality and excellent design”.
The Red Dot Award has been awarded annually in several categories since 1955 by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany. This year, the organisation had a record number of entries. The Red Dot Award for the new Citea generation will be presented on 20 June. “The fact that VDL emerged as the victor from such a strong group of participants is testament to the exceptional quality of the product,” judged Professor Dr Peter Zec, founder and CEO of the Red Dot Award. “In an evaluation process lasting several days, the entries from all over the world were examined in detail and assessed by experts for their design quality and degree of innovation.”
Importance of design
VDL Bus & Coach has won the award for the second time in its history. In 2017, the Red Dot Award also went to VDL, at the time to the VDL Citea SLFA Electric. The Dutch design agency Modyn, based in Geldermalsen, Netherlands, has played an important role in the design of the VDL Bus & Coach product range for many years.
Under the direction of VDL's design team, the close cooperation once again led to success. “The VDL design philosophy makes the journey even more pleasant for both driver and passengers,” explains Bram Veendrick, design manager at VDL. “In the new generation Citea, the traveller benefits from an optimal seating arrangement and flow without obstacles, while the driver has an ergonomic driver’s cabin. There is an optimal streamline for very low energy consumption. The design is based on the characteristics of the public space, which is reflected in the interior.”
Rik de Reuver, Head of Product Design at Modyn: “In the development of the new generation Citea, VDL underlined the strategic importance of design from the outset. This has been an advantage in both the design process and the cooperation. Our shared principles and ambitions are reflected in the design of the vehicle, which requires a design that is both long-lasting and innovative.”
Liveable city
The new generation of Citeas has already been sold in several countries and will be deployed in a number of cities and areas starting this year: The Netherlands (Eindhoven), Finland (Kotka and Lahti), Belgium (all of Flanders), Germany (Oberhausen) and France (Bordeaux). Currently, more than 1,000 electric VDL Citeas, delivered between 2015 and the first quarter of 2022, are in operation in 11 countries. VDL Bus & Coach is well on its way to 200 million electric kilometres of experience and expertise.
Alex de Jong, Business Manager Public Transport at VDL Bus & Coach: “It has always been clear that the next step of a zero emission public transport bus needs new technologies and a new way of thinking. Experience in both the bus sector and in e-mobility has been combined. For VDL Bus & Coach, having an attractive design language is an important asset in getting more people to choose public transport. The form and functionality of the Citea, such as the use of light and colour, must ensure that passengers feel comfortable on board the bus. In the end, we all contribute to the greater goal of a liveable city, where residents will benefit from fewer harmful emissions and noise, and more clean air.”
New generation Citea
VDL Bus & Coach has become one of the leading players in Europe in the field of e-mobility. Since the introduction of the first Citea SLF-120 Electric in Geneva, during the UITP Mobility & City Transport exhibition in 2013, VDL Bus & Coach has focused strongly on electric mobility. In 2021, VDL Bus & Coach presented the new generation of electric Citeas. Based on the VDL vision, a bus concept has been developed that is entirely based on an electric drive train and that is ready for the future, with zero emissions as a matter of course.
Batteries in the floor, a one-piece composite side wall, clever energy management, a sophisticated climate control system and an ergonomic driver's environment. With these five important innovations, VDL Bus & Coach introduces the new generation Citea product range, consisting of four length variants and five types. The range of the new generation of Citeas has improved significantly: all vehicles can cover a distance of 500 to 600 kilometres during their entire period of use.
The new Citea range meets all existing market demands: each model offers a solution without compromise when it comes to sustainability, technology, passenger comfort and capacity, ergonomics, range, flexibility, safety and Total Cost of Ownership. The motto is therefore ‘Zero Compromise’. This means greater flexibility and efficiency thanks to the extensive product range, which meets the requirements of every customer.