Mercedes eCitaro with solid-state batteries in Bremen
In Germany, Bremer Straßenbahn AG (BSAG) has ordered five Mercedes-Benz eCitaro with solid-state batteries to arrive in early 2022. The scope of supply also includes five permanently installed charging systems, each with an output of 150 kW, as well as three mobile workshop chargers of 40 kW each.
BSAG announced in the summer that it would procure five purely battery-electric buses as well as 15 more with “hydrogen-powered fuel cells to extend the range.” Now Mercedes-Benz has been chosen as the manufacturer of the five battery-electric vehicles. The special feature of these eCitaro buses is that the three-door solo buses are equipped with seven solid-state battery packs with a total capacity of 441 kWh. Mercedes will also supply the bus variant with solid-state batteries to Wiesbaden. The innovative battery option was first announced in the summer of 2018.
It remains open as to who will build the other 15 buses for Bremer Straßenbahn AG and whether this means vehicles that rely mainly on the hydrogen system for propulsion or battery-electric buses that still have a small fuel cell on board as a range extender. Including the construction of the charging infrastructure in BSAG’s depots, the costs for the procurement initiative are expected to total 16.7 million euros. The federal government is subsidizing up to 40 per cent of the additional costs compared to a diesel bus as part of the Clean Air emergency program. For vehicles with fuel cell range extenders, up to 80 per cent will be subsidised, according to an earlier announcement from the German Senate.
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