Daimler Buses will be demonstrating holistic solutions for public transport at Busworld 2019 where it will highlight how sustainable solutions for local public transport can be a major contributor to making cities liveable
E-mobility as a complete system offers practical solutions for liveable cities. This is the philosophy that Daimler Buses will project at Busworld 2019 in Brussels. Providing further insights into how the overall scenario is all about holistic solutions for the bus mobility of tomorrow, Till Oberwörder, Head of Daimler Buses, says: “With our brands Mercedes-Benz, Setra and Omniplus, we will be presenting sustainable and innovative solutions for the bus industry of the future at the trade fair. Our presentation there will show that we offer our customers buses and mobility solutions suitable for every purpose.”
“In the e-mobility sector in particular, city authorities and transport businesses expect tailor-made solutions for local public transport. With our overall system consisting of product and comprehensive support, we are very well positioned here. “Orders for the eCitaro running into three-digit figures underscore the fact that we are on the right road with this. The portfolio of our product brands is complemented by intelligent and networked service offerings, such as Omniplus On, or an electric mobility consulting service tailored to our customers’ needs,” he adds.
E-Mobility system: The new mantra
The focus of the trade fair presentation will be the overall e-mobility system from Daimler Buses. The fully-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro, which is produced in series at the Mannheim plant and is available for ordering by customers, offers municipal authorities and transport businesses the opportunity to adapt their fleets to local zero-emission driving. This battery-powered city bus thus stands for environment-friendly public transportation and contributes to better air quality and thus to enhanced living conditions in cities.
eCitaro buses are already in regular service in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Oslo (Norway) and Ystad (Sweden); deliveries have already been made to Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Further three-figure Europe-wide deliveries will take place this year and also successively in the coming years – the demand is dependent on the local characteristics of the transport companies.
Technological development continues
The eCitaro is being continuously further developed with regard to its practical operation in regular service – future technological developments will give customers security regarding their fleet planning. Depending on its intended use, the eCitaro can also be ordered with as many as 12 battery packs. This results in a range around 170 kilometres, under typical city bus conditions, without recharging along the route. From 2020, a further model variant of the eCitaro will also be available: an articulated bus (eCitaro G) with 145 passenger seats.
From 2021 the eCitaro will be launched with the next battery generation and in the second half of 2020 with solid-state batteries (lithium polymer batteries). From 2022 there will be the battery bus with range extender (hydrogen-based fuel cell supplying a high-voltage battery with electricity). Future battery technologies will lead to increased operational coverage in regular operations – with the fuel cell as a range extender, almost all lines could then be catered for.
The eCitaro is compatible with all common charging technologies: Besides 150 kW charging using a cable, rapid charging at around 300 kW using a roof-mounted pantograph will also be available by the end of 2019. Rapid charging by means of fixed-position charging contact arms in conjunction with charging rails installed on the bus roof (the so-called ‘inverted pantograph’ principle) is also in preparation.
Comprehensive system approach
Since the electrification of bus fleets requires major changes in transport businesses, Daimler Buses accompanies its customers in their understanding of an overall e-mobility system with a comprehensive consulting approach. The Daimler Buses e-mobility consulting team takes into account, among other things, line length, passenger volume, energy requirements, range calculations and charge management when determining the possible operation from case to case. E-mobility solutions tailored to the customer’s needs are the result.
Customers are also accompanied when it comes to service as well: workshop consulting for e-mobility systems and training courses for work on high-voltage systems, modified service networks due to e-mobility or eco-trainings for drivers are the building blocks of the Omnipluse Mobility service concept. The entire e-mobility system from Daimler Buses is thus a component of the Daimler Sustainability Strategy 2039 and demonstrates, among other things, the path which Daimler Buses is taking towards achieving sustainable and emission-free mobility.