Brazil – The Mercedes-Benz eO500U, a battery-powered electric bus (chassis) produced by Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Ltda, together with an eMillenium bus body produced by Caio Indusscar in Botucatu city, São Paulo State, has started its public transport service in São Caetano do Sul, in the greater São Paulo area. This model marks the first electric bus to be used in public transportation within the city, specifically on Line 03 - Circular Barcelona, operated by the concessionary company VIPE (Viação Padre Eustáquio). Developed and produced entirely in Brazil, the eO500U is already in production and being integrated into urban transport systems. As of December, last year, Mercedes-Benz had produced 50 units of this model for São Paulo, with ongoing deliveries continuing this year.

The eO500U 4x2 low-floor chassis is capable of accommodating bodies of up to 13.2 metres in length. Mercedes-Benz do Brasil claims a single charge range of 250 kilometres, the highest among electric buses in Brazil and that it also features the largest passenger transport capacity in its segment. The eO500U utilizes plug-in battery recharging technology, consistent with the standards used by Daimler Buses in its electric buses. The recharging process takes up to three hours, utilizing the latest generation of NMC3 batteries, the same as those used in the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro buses in Europe. The bus offers a smooth, quiet ride, reflecting the advanced electronic systems adapted from the eCitaro, including electric steering, motors, axles, and other components.