Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electrifies inter-city routes!
Comfortable equipment tailor-made for inter-city use
“The flexibility of our eCitaro is always amazing. We are delighted that it can even prove its strengths as an inter-city bus with tailor-made equipment and a sophisticated deployment concept at the Ludwigslust-Parchim transport company,” says Mirko Sgodda, Head of Sales, Marketing and Customer Services at Daimler Buses.
The eCitaro in use at Ludwigslust-Parchim transport company (VLP) has been ideally prepared for this. Passengers appreciate the comfortable Inter Star Eco seating produced in-house with two-point seat belts. The seats are mounted on platforms in the front part of the vehicle. Cozy paneling for the inner walls featuring needle felt or WLAN connectivity and USB sockets for passengers’ devices make the eCitaro pleasant to ride in, even on long journeys. Drivers benefit from a climate-controlled, heated seat and an electrically adjustable inside rearview mirror, among other features. A partition across the entire width of the cab door protects them from potential infections. Connoisseurs will appreciate the rough-road chassis with increased angle of approach and departure for challenging terrain.
Decentralized organization with thirteen operating sites and 49 charging stations
Ludwigsburg-Parchim is the second largest district in Germany. The Neuhaus office of the Lüneburg district is also used as a transport area. VLP currently operates 172 routes with around 200 buses. So nearly one bus in four is now being replaced by a fully electric bus.
VLP’s area of operations has a low population density and numerous villages. This requires a great deal of range. With a total capacity of 378 kWh and two charging plug positions on the right-hand side above the front axle and at the rear, eCitaro battery technology provides a solid framework for this. VLP, based in Hagenow near the state capital Schwerin, supports deployment through a decentralized organization: A total of 49 charging stations will be set up at twelve of the thirteen operating sites. 100% of the electricity comes from renewable production.
Proven, long range in day-to-day operations, supported by digitalization
The VLP’s practical experience with the first two tranches of 15 buses each matches the expectations. This way, the eCitaro achieves a very good range, sometimes exceeding 300 kilometers in everyday operation in the selected configuration, and still returns to the depot with a safe remaining battery capacity of approx. 15 percent. This means that the estimated mileage of around 50,000 to 60,000 kilometers per year is achievable.
Digitalization also plays a role in this context: Ludwigslust-Parchim transport company uses Omniplus On services. Deployment planning and complex depot management were developed in close cooperation with the specialists at Daimler Buses’ cooperation partner IVU.
