Neue zentrale Stromtankstelle im Omnibuswerk Mannheim für Mercedes-Benz eCitaro mit vollelektrischem Antrieb, Anschlussleistung: 1,2 Megawatt, 4 Stellplätze für Steckerladung, Pantograf und Ladeschiene New central electric charging station for the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro with all-electric drive at the Mannheim bus works, Connection power of 1.2 megawatts, four parking bays for charging via cable, pantograph and charging rail.

E-Roadmap from Daimler Buses: electric intercity buses and coaches

Daimler Buses has a clear e-roadmap for the electrification of its vehicles across all segments. In line with the dual strategy of its parent company Daimler Truck, Daimler Buses is focussing on both battery-electric and hydrogen-based technologies. The purely battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro city bus has been in series production since 2018. Since 2023, the vehicle has also been available with a hydrogen-based fuel cell as a range extender. The battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eIntouro will follow from 2026. Daimler Buses also plans to have electrically powered coaches in its portfolio by the end of the decade. Daimler Buses thus aims to offer locally CO2-neutral models based on batteries or hydrogen in every segment by 2030. The initial focus will be on the core markets of Europe and Latin America. By 2039, only locally CO2-neutral new vehicles are to be sold in the core market of Europe. In the city bus segment, this should already be the case in Europe from 2030.

In addition, Daimler Buses is already supporting customers with expertise in the transition to electrically powered buses. In June 2023, the company founded a new subsidiary, Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH, which specialises fully in the design and development of electric and H2 infrastructure.

eIntouro: Electrified bus transport between town and country. Daimler Buses has presented its first battery-electric intercity bus, the Mercedes-Benz eIntouro, as a near-series prototype. The manufacturer is thus electrifying local public transport between cities and rural areas. The vehicle will offer a range of up to 500 kilometres and is therefore suitable for longer distances and higher average speeds – for example on country roads – compared to an electric city bus. The bus will be equipped with the same battery technology, so-called LFP batteries (lithium iron phosphate), as the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 long-haul truck, which is part of a common parts strategy that Daimler Buses is pursuing with its parent company Daimler Truck. The bus manufacturer wants to further strengthen its profitability in this way. Customers will be able to order the new electric intercity bus at the beginning of 2025, with the first customer deliveries planned from 2026. The company announced this in November at the ‘Daimler Buses eMobility Days’, a multi-day event on the topic of e-mobility in Berlin.

eIntouro with LFP batteries and new electronic architecture. The eIntouro is available with one or two battery packs, each with a nominal capacity of 207 kWh. This means that the new bus can be used for smaller trips, shuttle, excursion or school bus services in addition to classic intercity routes. The two batteries can be fully charged with up to 300 kW within 90 minutes; with just one battery pack, this is possible after just 70 minutes. In addition, with the LFP technology, over 95 percent of the installed capacity can be used. The batteries in the eIntouro offer a service life of up to 15 years, depending on the respective application.

The Mercedes-Benz eIntouro is available in two versions. With a length of 12.18 meters and 13.09 meters and 50 to a maximum of 63 seats, the vehicle offers just as much space as the conventionally powered version. The vehicle can therefore replace a diesel-powered intercity bus one-to-one.

With the eIntouro, Daimler Buses is also introducing a new electronic architecture. This enables wireless software updates for buses, so-called “over-the-air” updates (OTA), without a visit to the workshop. This reduces the number of visits to the workshop and improves vehicle availability. The technology is to be used in all of the manufacturer’s future bus models. As of today, Daimler Buses will be the first bus manufacturer in Europe to be able to offer this technology.

New NMC4 battery generation for battery-electric city buses. Thanks to a different cell chemistry, the new NMC4 (nickel-manganese-cobalt) battery generation will offer a six percent higher energy density for longer ranges compared to the previous NMC3 generation. It also enables a higher storage capacity in the same installation space. The purely battery-electric eCitaro is expected to achieve ranges of 500 kilometers with the new NMC4 batteries, and the eCitaro fuel cell even 700 kilometers. Daimler Buses offers its customers an optional guarantee on the battery life of up to 12 years. In addition, customers can now operate the battery-electric city bus Mercedes-Benz eCitaro fuel cell exclusively with hydrogen using a new operating mode. The vehicle can therefore be used completely independently of an e-charging infrastructure.

eCitaro fuel cell with hydrogen-based fuel cell as the only energy source. When the eCitaro fuel cell is operated exclusively with hydrogen, the fuel cell takes over the complete charging of the battery. This is made possible by a new operating mode that can be flexibly selected by the customer. Stationary charging of the battery on the power grid is no longer necessary. The battery and the fuel cell remain the main energy source for the drive. Depending on the battery generation, ranges of 480 kilometers are possible. This means that the eCitaro fuel cell can meet the requirements of transport companies that prefer to use green hydrogen instead of mains electricity as an energy source.

Turnkey conversion of depots: around 40 projects already won. Electrically powered city or intercity buses can only develop their full performance when embedded in a well-planned and coordinated overall system. Daimler Buses therefore supports its customers from individually configured electric buses to the complete e-infrastructure for the depot – including all construction measures and other digital services. In addition to turnkey e-systems, the experts also offer hydrogen tank solutions for their customers. Together with the experts from Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH, the manufacturer has already won around 40 projects and successfully implemented many of them.

You can also find this article in the current eMove360° magazine in german language. Download the PDF for free or order the print version from sabine.metzger@emove360.com

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13.01.2025   |  

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