Daimler Buses unveils 10.6 metre long electric bus eCitaro K
With the new electric bus, the Stuttgart-based company is adding a short version to its eCitaro model range. The current eCitaro trio is now 10.63 metres, 12.14 metres and 18.13 metres long. In the nomenclature, ‘K’ stands for short, or “Kurz” in German, and ‘G’ for long or large (Groß in German). The solo bus in the centre is only called eCitaro – without any additional letters.
The eCitaro K is an electric low-floor bus with a wheelbase that is around 1.5 metres shorter than the eCitaro (4,398 millimetres). This reduces the turning circle from 21.21 to 17.28 metres, which should predestine the model for narrow, angled routes in suburbs and old towns. Daimler Buses also wants to position the eCitaro K as an alternative for ‘operations with manageable passenger numbers’. The transport capacity of the 19.5-tonne vehicle is up to 84 passengers.
Similarly to the 12-metre version, the eCitaro K is available with four to six NMC battery packs of 98 kWh each, adding up to a maximum capacity of up to 588 kWh. Equipped in this way, the new version should ‘offer a range of more than 300 kilometres in favourable conditions – and that over the entire battery life’, as the Stuttgart-based company states. The eCitaro K can be charged by plug or optionally by pantograph. The eCitaro K takes its drive in the form of the ZF AVE 130 electric portal axle with two motors, each with a peak output of 125 kW, completely from its longer siblings.
According to the manufacturer, the short model is available with either two or three doors. The layout of the passenger compartment corresponds to that of the models already available, as do the cockpit and operating concept. There are also no differences in the equipment with the latest safety and assistance systems. On request, the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro K is also available with cameras instead of the previous exterior mirrors.
At the IAA Transportation, Daimler Buses also announced that it is expanding its electric portfolio for the Latin American market with an articulated version. The 18-metre-long eO500UA articulated bus chassis will complement the eO500U solo variant, which has been available since 2022. The new chassis will offer space for up to 120 passengers and a range of around 250 kilometres. The manufacturer does not provide details on the drive and battery capacity in its press release.
The start of series production is planned for 2026. Like the solo version, the new articulated bus chassis will be developed directly in Brazil, specially designed for Latin American cities and produced at the Mercedes-Benz do Brasil site in São Bernardo do Campo in the state of São Paulo.
Daimler Buses is also focussing on safety and assistance systems at the trade fair. The company will be presenting the new Mercedes-Benz Tourismo Safety Coach to the public for the first time. A hybrid intercity bus, the Setra MultiClass S 510 LE hybrid, will also be on show in Hanover.
0 Comments