Daimler Buses has presented its first battery-electric inter-city bus, the Mercedes-Benz eIntouro, as a near-series prototype. In doing so, the manufacturer is electrifying local public transport between urban and rural areas.
The vehicle will offer a range of up to 500 kilometers and is therefore suitable for longer distances and higher average speeds – for example on country roads – compared to an electric city bus.
The eIntouro is equipped with the same battery technology as the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 long-haul truck, namely LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. This is part of a shared parts strategy pursued by Daimler Buses along with parent company Daimler Truck. The bus manufacturer is aiming to continue to strengthen its profitability by doing so.
Customers can order the new electric intercity bus from the beginning of 2025, and the world premiere of the series production vehicle is scheduled for the “Busworld” trade fair in Brussels in October 2025. First customer deliveries are planned from 2026. The company announced this today at “Daimler Buses eMobility Days”, an event lasting several days in Berlin that centers on eMobility.
The eIntouro is optionally available with one or two battery packs, each with a nominal capacity of 207 kWh. In addition to traditional intercity routes, the new bus can therefore also be used for short trips, shuttle transport, excursions or school bus services. The two batteries can be fully charged with up to 300 kW within 90 minutes; with just one battery pack, this can even be achieved in just 70 minutes. In addition, over 95 percent of the installed capacity can be utilized with LFP technology. The batteries in the eIntouro offer a service life of up to 15 years, depending on the respective applications.
The Mercedes-Benz eIntouro is available in two variants. With a length of between 12.18 meters and 13.09 meters as well as a seating capacity of 50 to a maximum of 63, the vehicle offers just as much space as the conventionally powered variant. This makes it possible for this vehicle to replace a diesel-powered intercity bus like for like.
Daimler Buses is also introducing a new electronics architecture with the eIntouro. For the first time, this will enable over-the-air (OTA) software updates for buses without the need to visit a workshop. This can reduce workshop visits and improve vehicle availability. The vision is to use the technology in all of the manufacturer’s future bus/touring coach models. As of today, Daimler Buses will be the first bus/touring coach manufacturer in Europe that can offer this technology.
In addition, Daimler Buses has also presented further innovations: The new “NMC4” (nickel-manganese-cobalt) battery generation with higher energy density will be available for all eCitaro models from 2026. In addition, customers can now also operate the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro fuel cell city bus exclusively with hydrogen using a new operating mode. The vehicle can thus be used completely independently of any electric charging infrastructure. Daimler Buses is also seeing a high demand for turnkey depot conversions: In 2024 alone, the company was awarded around 20 new projects together with experts from its wholly owned subsidiary Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH.
