eCitaro MA-MB 1422 test vehicle: Important technical details

• Remarkable battery capacity for appropriate range
• Cutting-edge assistance and safety systems, new 360° camera system
• Attractively designed passenger compartment for up to 81 passengers

Daimler Buses is allowing public transport companies to participate in the rapid development of battery technology for fully electrically powered city buses. The Mercedes-Benz eCitaro with NMC 3 batteries is proof of this: With an energy capacity of almost 500 kWh, it can replace conventionally powered city buses – and is all around attractive for fleets, driving personnel and passengers.

Remarkable battery capacity for appropriate range

Five high-voltage battery packs with a total energy capacity of 490 kWh that are distributed across the roof (three packs) and the rear (two packs) ensure an appropriate range for the two-door low-floor solo bus test vehicle. It is designed for plug-in charging at the depot and can move to different positions flexibly with charging sockets on both the left and right.

Cutting-edge assistance and safety systems, new 360° camera system

Safety is always a top priority for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. In the cockpit of the MA-MB 1422 test vehicle, instrumentation and operation differ only insignificantly from the Citaro with combustion engine. This makes it easier to switch quickly between the vehicles. In addition to the brake pedal, the driver can use a five-stage pitman arm in overrun mode to control recuperation and thus the braking effect.

The test bus is equipped with the new 360° camera system. This provides significant support to the driving personnel when precise manoeuvring is important, whether at the depot, in the vehicle hall or at bottlenecks along the route.

It almost goes without saying that the bus is equipped with the Preventive Brake Assist active brake assistant, the Sideguard Assist cornering assistant and the Tyre Pressure Monitoring system (TPM). Safety and support for the driver are also provided by the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System and the switchable speed limitation to 33 km/h, which makes driving in zones subject to speed limits significantly easier. Depending on the usage profile, the limit can also be set to other speeds.

Attractively designed passenger compartment for up to 81 passengers

A maximum of 34 passengers can take their seats on City Star Eco seating produced in-house. The seats and backrests have been upholstered in an uplifting fabric. Red ceiling handrails, ambient lighting with continuous blue light strips above the aisle and windows and a wood-look floor in the low-floor city bus provide a sense of freshness and comfort. The special-purpose area opposite entrance 2 can be used in a variety of ways: There is sufficient space for a wheelchair or pram. The support facing against the direction of travel has a folding seat. In the direction of travel, there are two additional folding seats as an alternative to the standing area. The infotainment system includes one 18.5-inch TFT monitor behind the driver partition wall and a second 29-inch TFT monitor in large format behind the transverse channel running across the vehicle. Passengers can charge their mobile devices at 13 double USB sockets.

All of this is enclosed in an anthracite metallic paint finish, including the detachable parts. The result is a highly attractive overall appearance of the new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro with NMC 3 batteries, which offers a transport capacity for up to 81 passengers.

Technical data for Mercedes-Benz eCitaro MA-MB 1422 with NMC3 batteries