Five eCitaro buses with solid state batteries and advance ADAS systems go into pilot operation on green electricity in Basel
By Jim Gibbins - 1st July 2021
Switzerland / Germany – Swiss transport operator in the city of Basel, Baselland Transport AG (BLT), has taken delivery of five Mercedes-Benz eCitaro solo buses from Daimler Buses of Stuttgart as part of a pilot electrification exercise in a mix of urban and suburban operations in combination with areas of steep topography, with plans to acquire a further eight more later this year.
Each eCitaro has solid state batteries with capacity of 441kWh – allowing them to operate all day on a single charge. They are charged overnight at the Oberwil-Hüslimatt bus depot. BLT has installed one of the largest photovoltaic systems in the region on its depot roof. This can produce 1.2 million kWh of electricity per year. Since 2012, BLT has drawn only certified electricity from renewable energy sources from Swiss hydro-electric plants.
