Germany – What a difference a year can make! A year ago, Truck & Bus Builder attended the “E-Bus Test” in the German city of Bonn, organised yearly by the German magazine Omnibus Spiegel. It is a fantastic opportunity for European journalists to ride on and test drive the latest electric buses, some of which have yet to launch in the market. In this regard, the 2025 edition of the e-bus test was no different. However, the outlook for the electric bus market in Europe is less certain now than it was even just twelve months ago. A representative of Stadtwerke Bonn, the operator of Bonn’s urban transport system which hosted the e-bus test at its depot, told attendees at the event that it is no longer looking for incentives to purchase electric buses from the European Union. Those dried up a while ago, and the city of Dortmund – to give just one example – has gone back to purchasing diesel buses. There is not a great deal of hope either that the new government in Germany will announce further support for electric buses and charging infrastructure.

At this year’s test, there were four buses contending for the top spot in the 12-metre category. These were VDL’s ‘Citea’, Iveco’s ‘Crossway’, a prototype developed by Scania and Higer, and the Solaris ‘Urbino’. In addition to these, attendees also got to test the 10-metre ‘LighTram’ from Hess, the 10-metre ‘eCitaro K’ from Mercedes-Benz, and a minibus upfitted by Tremonia Mobility. Three buses which were to be supplied by MAN, Otokar, and BMC were not ready in time for the event.

The Solaris Urbino 12 electric

The buses at Omnibus 2025

The Solaris which was available to drive at this year’s e-bus test was the latest version of the familiar ‘Urbino 12 electric’ range, which first entered production in 2013. The Polish manufacturer explained that, in the latest model, a “modular” drivetrain layout, with batteries installed on the roof and at the rear, has created a simpler wiring design and improved the overall weight distribution. Moreover, the engine tower at the rear has been eliminated, creating more space inside the bus. In the model shown in Bonn, there were thirty-five seats, fourteen of which were located in the low-floor area of the bus; however, the Urbino 12 can accommodate as many as forty-one seats, with up to sixteen in the low-floor area. 
 
In the bus’s rear compartment, up to four batteries can be installed, providing easy access for technicians. In the new Urbino 12, Solaris has opted for the latest electric motor supplied by Traktionssysteme Austria, shedding up to 100 kilograms of weight compared to previous models. The bus has a range of over 600 kilometres, meaning that there is no need to recharge during the day, according to Solaris.

The Iveco Crossway Elec LE

Swedish manufacturer Scania showcased the latest result of its longstanding collaboration with Chinese firm Higer Bus, a prototype spec’d for the German market. The bus was developed in collaboration between Higer and Scania Deutschland, which have a bilateral relationship independent of the latter’s Swedish parent company. The bus will be available as a low-floor or low-entry vehicle and in lengths varying between 10.7 metres and 18.75 metres. The bus body is installed on a chassis supplied by Scania at a dedicated plant in China, which has a production capacity of 1,500 units per year. The plant has exported 5,236 vehicles as of 2023.

Iveco and VDL showcased their now-familiar Crossway and Citea ranges, respectively. In its presentation, Iveco said that, as of 2023, it had produced 60,000 Crossways of all types since 2006. In the end, it was the VDL Citea which won the competition through a popular vote. In the opinion of this author, there was not much in it, as all the buses at the test were pleasant and comfortable to ride on as a passenger.

The three vehicles showcased by Hess, Mercedes, and Tremonia were not eligible to compete in the 12-metre category, but the manufacturers were given time to talk to the audience about each vehicle. The LighTram vehicle displayed by Swiss manufacturer Hess is based on an aluminium frame which has long been produced by other bus bodybuilders under licence; according to Hess, Australian firm Volgren has produced more than 10,000 aluminium bodies in this way. Though Hess continues to make buses in small numbers in Switzerland, it has considerably expanded the capacity and capabilities of its Portuguese factory, where the majority of its production now takes place.

The Scania-Higer 12m bus

Mercedes displayed the new 10.6-metre ‘eCitaro K’ which was launched at the IAA in September 2024. The K model is based heavily on the 12-metre eCitaro, though providing a completely low floor layout and compact dimensions for navigating narrow roads. Tremonia presented its ‘City 75 Electric’ minibus, built on a ‘Sprinter’ chassis supplied by the Mercedes-Benz Group. With a gross vehicle weight of 7 tonnes and a range of up to 300 kilometres, Tremonia said the minibus was developed for routes with lower passenger demand and/or routes too narrow for most buses. The model shown in Bonn was apparently a pre-series version; the series model will be fitted with assistance and safety systems compliant with the latest general safety regulations (GSR II). Tremonia takes Sprinter glider chassis and installs them with Elinta motors; the electric Sprinter sold by Mercedes is “not yet a perfect product” for Tremonia’s needs.

Finally, Turkish manufacturer BMC talked about the bus model it had intended to supply to the e-bus test, the ‘Procity+ EV’. This battery electric bus is based on the diesel Procity+, which is a redesigned version of the ‘Procity’ launched in 2021. Changes had to be made to the weight, suspension, and vibration & harshness of the Procity+ to accommodate the batteries, which are supplied by defence firm Aselsan (LTO) or German supplier BMZ (NMC). The customer may also choose from two central drive options: a motor supplied either by Aselsan or German company VEM. No matter the specification, the Procity+ EV is built on front and rear axles supplied by ZF.

The Hess LighTram

Tier-one suppliers and infrastructure

Bus HVAC specialist Konvekta used the e-bus test to make the case for CO₂ heat pumps as an efficient and sustainable alternative to other solutions on the market. Konvekta has been working with CO₂ as a refrigerant since 1992, and it currently has over 5,000 CO₂ heat pumps in service. The German company can supply a complete air conditioning system with an air-to-water heat pump and all other parts provided. According to Konvekta, its CO₂ heat pump can reduce the energy consumption of an electric bus by as much as 40%. Moreover, the global warming potential of CO₂ as a refrigerant is very low. Heat pumps which use fluorinated gases have been shown to be more harmful to the environment; the European Union is now heavily regulating the use of F-gases and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and is considering banning them altogether. In Konvekta’s view, there are “no real alternatives” to CO₂ heat pumps in electric buses, and it expects their use to grow as other solutions are restricted or even banned outright.

Two of the major European powertrain suppliers, ZF and Voith, presented on their ‘CeTrax’/‘AxTrax’ and ‘VEDS’ systems respectively. Voith claimed that, in a test conducted by public-private non-profit organisation, Zemo Partnership, an Alexander Dennis ‘Enviro’ bus fitted with the Voith Electrical Drive System achieved an energy consumption rate of 0.67 kilowatt hours per kilometre. In its presentation on the eCitaro K, Mercedes said it was shifting its entire eCitaro family to ZF’s AxTrax 2, its second generation of electric axles.

Finally, three firms presented on the topics of electrification and charging infrastructure. Emcel, an engineering firm based in nearby Cologne, promoted its support services for operators looking to switch to an electric fleet. The company has expertise in battery electric and hydrogen drivelines and holds the view that, “depending on the local conditions, all technologies are [potentially] useful”. Oil giant Shell promoted its “total contractor” service for planning and executing charging infrastructure projects. This service is active in nine European countries: Shell has helped to install 1,000 chargers across forty bus depots. Finally, Heliox spoke on behalf of parent company Siemens, which offers a similar level of support to operators looking to switch to electric buses. Acquired in 2023, Heliox is now working with Siemens to develop the next generation of charging systems.