Daimler subsidiary, EvoBus GmbH, has signed a corresponding memorandum of understanding with Rhein‑Neckar‑Verkehr GmbH. The company will be first customer to invest in the fully-electric bus from Mercedes-Benz. The first busses are to be delivered and will begin customer trails at the end of 2018 in the Rhein-Neckar metropolitan region – also meaning that the first examples of fully-electric busses will close to their place of production in Mannheim.
Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses says: “Our bestselling Mercedes‑Benz Citaro is built in the EvoBus plant in Mannheim, our Centre of Competence for city buses. Naturally this also applies to the electric version, which we are currently preparing for series production. I am therefore pleased that our first customer for the fully‑electric city bus also comes from the Rhein‑Neckar metropolitan region, In the very proximity to our location, the cooperation with Rhein‑Neckar‑Verkehr GmbH enables us to gather important findings about the daily operation of our fully‑electric Citaro and for the urban public transport of the future.”
Martin in der Beek, Technical Director of rnv, highlights that “local public transport electric mobility for city buses is one of the future topics – not just since the discussion about nitrogen oxide emissions in cities.” He continues: “We as a company want to do much more than just move with the times and react. We want to actively shape the growth of electric mobility in local public transport. In EvoBus, we have found a powerful and important partner, to test the benefits of the technology and the appropriate operating strategies in everyday service, together with our passengers”
Mercedes-Benz and Rhein‑Neckar‑Verkehr GmbH have agreed to exchange any findings from observing the regular service operations once they commence.
