The Mercedes-Benz eCitaro has reached a significant milestone. More than 2,500 units of the low-floor electric bus have rolled off the Mannheim production line. These buses have been delivered to customers since series production began in late 2018. Numerous large orders from German cities, including Stuttgart, Hamburg, Bonn, Dresden, Bremen, Wiesbaden, Nuremberg, and Mannheim, highlight its success. Transport companies in France, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and many other European countries also utilize the eCitaro. This broad adoption demonstrates the strong trust placed in this electric bus, solidifying its position as a true model of success.
Mirko Sgodda, Head of Marketing, Sales and Customer Services at Daimler Buses, commented on this achievement. “Thanks to ongoing further development, the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro has continuously expanded and continued its success story,” Sgodda stated. “We have continuously improved it in terms of drive variants, safety, and range. The success speaks for itself: the eCitaro is attractive, safe, reliable, and economical to operate. On request, Daimler Buses supports customers in the transition to electromobility with turnkey solutions from a single source. These solutions consist of electric buses, charging infrastructure, and depot management.”
Constantly Growing Variants for Public Transport
The Mercedes-Benz eCitaro combines the proven platform of the Citaro, Mercedes-Benz’s best-selling city bus, with new technological solutions and a novel design. This powerful, locally CO2-free electric bus covers demanding routes. It meets almost 100% of transport companies’ requirements for maximum range.
In 2018, the eCitaro launched as a 12.14-meter-long solo bus. It initially featured a battery capacity of up to 243 Wh. Today, it comes equipped with four to a maximum of six battery packs. These are from the third NMC3 lithium-ion battery generation, offering a total capacity of up to 588 kWh. Mercedes-Benz also offers a shorter, more compact variant: the 10.63-meter eCitaro K. Both solo bus variants are available with two or three doors. They combine high transport capacities with a long range. The eCitaro model family further includes the 18.13-meter-long, three- or four-door eCitaro G articulated bus. This model can be equipped with a minimum of four and a maximum of seven battery packs, providing a total capacity of up to 686 kWh.
Innovation with Fuel Cell and Future Battery Technology
The year 2023 marked the launch of the eCitaro fuel cell and eCitaro G fuel cell variants. Both models feature a 60 kW fuel cell as a range extender and hydrogen tanks on the roof. This significantly increases achievable ranges without recharging. These solo and articulated buses base their operation on a battery-electric drive system using NMC3 high-voltage batteries. The fuel cell generates electricity from hydrogen to extend the range. The eCitaro fuel cell solo bus uses three NMC3 battery packs with a total capacity of 294 kWh. For the eCitaro G fuel cell articulated bus, three or four battery packs are available, offering a maximum energy capacity of 392 kWh.
Another innovation will enter the market in 2025. The eCitaro fuel cell, equipped with a fuel cell as a range extender, will support a new “H2 mode.” This mode allows operation solely with hydrogen as the energy source in certain scenarios. In this operating strategy, the battery and fuel cell power the drive system. Critically, external charging of the battery from the mains during stationary phases becomes unnecessary in H2 mode, as the fuel cell charges it while driving.
Looking further ahead, from 2026, all Mercedes-Benz eCitaro variants will receive new NMC4 batteries. These next-generation batteries promise even more capacity, higher ranges, and a longer service life. They will also support regular quick charging processes with up to 300 kW charging capacity.
Optimized Energy Consumption Through Innovative Thermal Management
Battery capacity alone provides limited insight into an electric bus’s performance and range. Energy consumption is the true benchmark. It is heavily influenced by interior cooling and heating. From the outset, the eCitaro’s innovative thermal management system reduced energy required for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning by approximately 40 percent compared to the combustion engine Citaro. This foundation gives the eCitaro a practical range. For instance, high-voltage batteries are maintained at an ideal temperature. A heat pump heats the passenger compartment, saving energy. This design results in minimal energy consumption, maximizing range, performance, service life, and battery charging capacity.
Exemplary Safety Equipment and Driver Comfort
The cockpit of all eCitaro variants largely mirrors the familiar Citaro layout. This avoids the need for driver adjustments, allowing quick changeovers. Seat layout, visibility, ergonomics, and climate control are exemplary. Only the instrumentation has been adapted; a power meter replaces the rev counter. In the instrument panel of the eCitaro fuel cell variants, an additional display shows hydrogen tank fill levels. The comfortable and safe suspension, featuring roll and pitch control, and the “intelligent eco steering” electrohydraulic system have earned significant recognition.
Safety is paramount, extending to high-voltage technology. The eCitaro features crash-proof battery modules and well-protected high-voltage cables. Batteries undergo testing and certification according to hazardous goods regulations. Rigorous tests at the cell, cell module, battery pack, and vehicle battery group levels ensure system safety.
The eCitaro’s active safety features are unsurpassed. All models include a wide range of standard assistance systems. This standard equipment comprises the second-generation radar-based Sideguard Assist, Frontguard Assist, and a reversing camera. The intelligent Traffic Sign Assist speed assistant warns drivers when they exceed the permissible speed. Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM), Attention Assist, and an interface for driver alcohol testers are also standard. High-performance particle filters with an antiviral functional layer, protecting against infection, are also installed as standard in the air conditioning system.
Optional safety features enhance protection further. A 360° camera system is available for solo buses, while articulated buses can opt for a 270° camera system, providing an all-round view. The Preventive Brake Assist 2 emergency braking assistant and the MirrorCam camera system (replacing exterior mirrors) are also optional.
Flexible Charging and Digital Integration
Mercedes-Benz outlined future development steps for the eCitaro early on. Thus, solutions for opportunity charging quickly followed depot charging. Current variants offer modular charging technology via a charging plug, featuring four different charging socket positions. The eCitaro is also available with a pantograph or charging rails. In all cases, a charging socket remains installed on the vehicle.
Daimler Buses offers electromobility, including charging infrastructure planning and implementation, from a single source. This integrates with appropriate digital services. Thanks to the new Digital Services Package, all new electric buses are on the road with comprehensive digital services right from the start.
Source: Daimler Buses
