Daimler Buses to bring BEV and fuel cell buses to production standard and on the road by 2018
09 March 2016
Daimler Buses said it plans to bring both the battery-electric Citaro E-CELL and the hydrogen-driven Citaro F-CELL to production standard and on the roads by 2018. The two buses are based on a joint E-Mobility platform.
This electric mobility platform includes charging systems with plug-in technology as well as current collector systems on the roof of the vehicle, different sets of batteries and fuel cell system configurations.
The objective behind the e-platform is to create an electric urban bus that can be customised based on largely standardized components. This will allow various market demands to be met while at the same time attaining maximum economy. A modular approach not only reduces direct vehicle costs but also the amount spent on repairs and maintenance. This reduces the gap between the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of urban buses powered by diesel and those with electric drives. In this way, the TCO premium for emission-free driving becomes reasonable, Daimler said.
The upcoming Citaro F-CELL incorporates all the experience gained from the present third generation of fuel cell buses, which altogether comprises 27 buses. Introduced in 2011, the majority of them are used by customers on regular-service routes. This testing and validation phase for the fuel cell drive system is now complete.
The fourth generation of fuel cell bus ready for series production will include rigid buses as well as articulated and large-capacity vehicles. Hydrogen consumption for the rigid vehicles will decrease to less than 10 kg/100 km, while availability will increase to more than 90%.
So BYD will finally get some competition for BEV busses?
Posted by: Account Deleted | 09 March 2016 at 03:26 AM
With their vast annual production, if it were a level playing field I doubt anyone could match the Chinese manufacturers for cost.
But of course it will not be a level playing field, and orders will be placed for European manufacturers just as they are in the US for what they see as home grown alternatives.
BEV and Fuel cell buses work well together, giving solutions for all routes, and charging or fuelling either or both in the depot is not difficult.
Posted by: Davemart | 09 March 2016 at 04:04 AM
Both battery and FC city buses can (currently) compete with diesel units on a life time (12 to 16 years) basis specially where CO2 and pollution direct and indirect damages are partially or fully considered.
Diesel buses should be banned from city cores and/or have to pay for all the damages they create.
The introduction of electrified units (battery and/or FC) is too slow and should be accelerated.
BYD and other Asian manufacturers will capture a major portion of the world market, unless.....you know what...
Posted by: HarveyD | 09 March 2016 at 08:31 AM
There is a lot of low hanging fruit to pick in replacing city diesel buses with BEBs because Diesel buses perform so poorly, pollute so baddly, and guzzle fuel...plus they run all day long, plus.
All city transit companies should seriously consider switching asap to reap the benefits.
Posted by: Lad | 09 March 2016 at 08:35 AM