The Mercedes Benz eCitaro fuel cell: The test vehicle in detail

• Three battery packs, fuel cell, and five hydrogen tanks
• Familiar driver’s workstation, numerous assistance systems
• Well equipped passenger compartment

The test bus with license plate MA‑MB 454 is the Mercedes‑Benz eCitaro fuel cell, the first battery‑electric low‑floor bus equipped with a fuel cell to extend its range.

Three battery packs, fuel cell, and five hydrogen tanks

The two‑axle solo bus with two doors is equipped with three battery packs using the generation NMC3 lithium‑ion cells, providing a total battery capacity of 295 kWh. Charging is performed via a charging socket located on the right side above the front wheel. The maximum charging power is 150 kW. The vehicle‑side charging control system, SmartCharge, ensures optimized battery life.

For longer operations, a heavy‑duty fuel cell serves as the electricity generator. The fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen from five H₂ cylinders, each with a capacity of five kilograms, installed on the roof of the front section of the vehicle. Refueling takes place on the right side of the vehicle, in the direction of travel, above the rear axle. Thanks to the combination of high‑performance batteries and the fuel cell, the eCitaro fuel cell achieves a range of around 600 kilometers^[1] without recharging.

Familiar driver’s workstation, numerous assistance systems

Neither drivers nor passengers notice anything unusual about the innovative drive system during daily operation. The driver’s workstation is identical to that of the eCitaro, with the only addition being a display showing the hydrogen tank fill level in percent. The equipment—from the cab door with partition panel covering half the rear door width, to the automatic climate control system, to the air‑conditioned driver’s seat—is exemplary.

The same applies to the safety and assistance systems: the Mercedes‑Benz eCitaro fuel cell test bus already meets all requirements of the European General Safety Regulation (GSR) that has been in effect since July 2024. The vehicle is therefore equipped with a wide range of state‑of‑the‑art assistance systems. These include the Preventive Brake Assist 2, an active braking assistant specifically developed for city buses. The Sideguard Assist 2 turning assistant now monitors both the right and left sides of the bus and warns the driver of potential collisions. Together with the new Frontguard Assist, which monitors the area directly in front of the vehicle, it provides enhanced protection for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The standard rear‑view camera and the optional 360° camera system further expand the comprehensive warning system around the bus.

Additional standard assistance systems on the low‑floor city bus include the traffic sign assistant, the Attention Assist driver‑alert system, and the TPM tire‑pressure monitoring system. Safety is further enhanced by the electronic speed limiter set to 33 km/h, which can be activated via a switch on the side console. Also included are a rain‑light sensor and LED technology for low beam, high beam, cornering lights, fog lights, and daytime running lights.

Well‑equipped passenger compartment

Passengers enter the city bus through two electrically operated inward‑swinging doors. The interior is bright and high‑quality, featuring a wood‑look floor and grab rails and handrails made of brushed stainless steel. The multicolored ambient lighting, with continuous light strips above the aisle and windows, can be adjusted from the driver’s workstation and creates lighting moods that match the driving situation or time of day. The Mercedes‑Benz City Star Eco seats are upholstered in the durable leather‑fiber material Composition in deep black with cyan and ultramarine blue horizontal stripes.

Thirteen dual USB sockets supply passengers’ devices with power. The vehicle is equipped for passengers with reduced mobility through a manually operated folding ramp at door two.

The passenger compartment is automatically climate‑controlled as standard by the highly efficient EvoThermatic basic system with heat pump and an active filter featuring antiviral functionality.