More than 2,500 units of Mercedes-Benz e-Citaro low-floor electric bus have rolled off the production line in Mannheim since the start of series production at the end of 2018 and have been delivered to customers. Numerous large orders came from German cities such as Stuttgart, Hamburg, Bonn, Dresden, Bremen, Wiesbaden, Nuremberg or Mannheim, but also transport companies in France, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Poland and other European countries.

In 2018, the eCitaro was initially launched as a 12.14-meter-long solo bus with a battery capacity of up to 243 kWh. Today, it is equipped with four to a maximum of six battery packs from the third NMC3 lithium-ion battery generation with the main components nickel, manganese and cobalt oxide (NMC) and a total capacity of up to 588 kWh.

The bus can also be even shorter and more compact: the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro K with a length of 10.63 meters offers the same power. Both solobus variants are equipped with two or three doors and combine high transport capacities with a long range. The eCitaro model family also includes the 18.13-meter-long and three- or four-door eCitaro G articulated bus, which can be equipped with a minimum of four and a maximum of seven battery packs with a total capacity of up to 686 kWh.

2023 marks the year in which the eCitaro fuel cell and eCitaro G fuel cell were launched, both equipped with a 60 kW fuel cell as a range extender and hydrogen tanks on the roof. Consequently, the possible ranges that can be achieved without recharging are increased.

The solo and articulated buses are based on a battery-electric drive with NMC 3 high-voltage batteries. The fuel cell generates electricity from hydrogen and serves to extend the range. Three NMC3 battery packs with a total capacity of 294 kWh are used in the eCitaro fuel cell solo bus, while three or four battery packs with a maximum energy capacity of 392 kWh are available for the eCitaro G fuel cell articulated bus.

In the future, it will be possible to operate the eCitaro fuel cell, equipped with a fuel cell as a range extender, with hydrogen as the only energy source in the new “H2 mode”, which can be used in certain operating scenarios. The battery and fuel cell are also the energy source for the drive system in this operating strategy. However, external charging of the battery on the mains during stationary phases is no longer necessary in H2 mode, as it is charged by the fuel cell while driving.

From 2026, all Mercedes-Benz eCitaro variants will also be equipped with new NMC4 batteries, which will enable even more capacity, higher ranges and longer service life even with regular quick charging processes with up to 300 kW charging capacity.

The innovative thermal management system of the eCitaro reduced the energy required for heating, ventilation and air conditioning from the start by around 40% compared to the internal combustion engine Citaro, thus laying the foundations to give the eCitaro a practical range. The high-voltage batteries are tempered to the ideal temperature. The passenger compartment is heated by a heat pump, saving energy. This results in a minimum of energy consumption and a maximum of range as well as performance, service life and charging capacity of the batteries.