Kiel orders 28 battery-electric articulated buses from Daimler Buses

KVG has commissioned Daimler Buses to deliver 28 fully electric articulated buses. The first new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G buses are scheduled to enter service from the end of 2027. The agreement also includes an option for five additional vehicles.

Kieler verkehrsgesellschaft daimler buses — Image: KVG Kieler Verkehrsgesellschaft

The order followed a Europe-wide tender, in which Daimler Buses was selected as the most economical provider. Key factors in the decision included operating and follow-up costs, the technical requirements of the Kiel Transport Company (KVG), the high-voltage concept, and sustainability aspects.

Neither KVG nor Daimler Buses has disclosed the total investment amount. However, a spokesperson told NDR that a single new electric bus is expected to cost around €950,000. It remains unclear whether the procurement is supported by funding.

The ordered vehicles are four-door battery-electric articulated buses of the type Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G. They will be equipped with NMC4 battery technology, which was introduced just over a year ago. Each bus will feature five battery packs, each with an energy capacity of 111 kWh. The eCitaro G buses will be charged via a pantograph, according to the statements. Further technical details regarding the specific configuration have not been provided by KVG or Daimler Buses.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027. The first vehicle will arrive as an ‘advance unit’ at the public transport company in the third quarter of next year. The remaining battery-electric articulated buses are expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2027 and the first quarter of 2028.

“With the procurement of additional electric buses, KVG is sending a strong signal for modern, climate-friendly, and future-proof public transport. This investment makes an important contribution to achieving our climate protection goals and simultaneously enhances the attractiveness of public transport in Kiel,” said Kiel’s Lord Mayor Samet Yilmaz. “With the procurement of the new eCitaro G, KVG is consistently continuing its expansion of emission-free mobility. Our fleet currently comprises 218 vehicles, including 122 electric buses,” added KVG Managing Director Andreas Schulz.

Among the 122 electric buses in the fleet are the 50 vehicles that KVG ordered from the Dutch manufacturer VDL in 2023. According to NDR, the Kiel transport company recently faced delivery delays for this larger electric bus order. However, all 50 VDL buses have now arrived in Kiel. The new eCitaro G buses will continue the electrification of the bus fleet from late 2027 onwards. By 2032, the transport company aims to fully transition its fleet to electric buses.

daimlertruck.com , ndr.de (source in German), kvg-kiel.de (source in German)