Daimler Buses has concluded a five-week summer test programme for the Mercedes‑Benz eIntouro, trialling the battery-electric inter-city bus under extreme conditions in southern Spain. Test operations in Andalusia subjected the vehicles to ambient temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius and involved a broad range of performance, thermal and charging assessments.
The testing covered the functionality of the electric drivetrain, energy management, battery thermal regulation and the air conditioning system. Charging behaviour at public rapid-charging stations was evaluated, while mountain climbs in the Sierra Nevada up to 2,500 metres at full load and subsequent descents using the electric continuous brake tested energy recuperation performance. Daily distances of 300 to 500 kilometres were recorded for the prototypes.
“The extensive tests on batteries and the electric drivetrain under very high outside temperatures not only generated valuable findings for series production optimisation, but also confirmed that the eIntouro is fully operational even in extreme summer conditions,” the Daimler Buses press release stated. Adjustments were made to the control systems for the air conditioning, drivetrain and charging components.
The eIntouro also demonstrated readiness for everyday operations. Two prototypes completed the nearly 4,000-kilometre journey from Mannheim to Granada and back, using public quick-charging stations along motorways in Spain, France and Germany to validate charging compatibility.
Daimler Buses also previously sent the intercity bus to the Arctic Circle for winter testing earlier this year, where temperatures of up to minus 30 degrees Celsius prevailed.
The manufacturer presented its first intercity bus in November last year. The 12.18‑metre eIntouro and the 13.09‑metre eIntouro M offer seating for between 50 and 63 passengers. The bus is the first in Europe to allow software updates to be installed over-the-air, eliminating the need for workshop visits.
The eIntouro is equipped with an electric central drive with 320 kW continuous power and up to two battery packs providing a combined capacity of 414 kWh, giving a range of up to 500 kilometres. The intercity bus can be charged via a CCS Type 2 connector at up to 300 kW. A full charge with both battery packs takes around 90 minutes, while a single pack can be fully charged in 70 minutes.
The vehicle will celebrate its world premiere from 4 to 9 October at Busworld Europe in Brussels and is already available to order. Eurobus has been testing the near-series Mercedes eIntouro since April this year.
daimlertruck.com
