The first battery-electric driven series-production Mercedes-Benz eCitaro buses have been in operation in public transport in Germany for several weeks now, with more electric buses to follow in the coming weeks.
The company has also received many first orders from neighbouring European countries like France and Poland.
However, there is not yet a universal demand for electric buses from the public transport companies. This might be because switching a conventional bus fleet to electric drive and ensuring the necessary infrastructure can be more complex than planned.
The Mercedes-Benz eCitaro is not produced in a prototype workshop but on the same production line as all of the other city buses in the plant in Mannheim and has thus achieved production standard.
The eCitaro buses that will be available for testing in European cities are equipped with ten battery packages and a total capacity of 243 kWh as well as electric motors mounted close to the wheel hubs.
The thermal management optimised to the very last detail with battery cooling, air conditioning with a heat pump and connected components is a highlight in the world of bus construction.
These features ensure minimum energy consumption and in turn the highest efficiency and maximum range. The fact that the power consumption of an electric bus for heating and cooling can be as much as 50 percent is a challenge that in the main only bus specialists are aware of.
The complex chassis of electric buses is characterised by the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) as well as roll and pitch control, for example. Safety, efficiency and environmental conservation are all integral to the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro.
