When it comes to electric vehicles, one of the key issues is range, which is the biggest point of vulnerability to date.
For a 18m articulated vehicle that can weigh up to 30 tonnes and carry almost 130 passengers, the demand for power becomes quite significant and mileage is essential for being able to complete a day’s service. With this in mind, Daimler Buses offers from 2023 the Mercedes eCitaro G fuel cell.
The fuel cell, manufactured by Toyota, is sized for heavy-duty use and designed for maximum efficiency. In particular, it is optimised to work between 20 and 30 kW and in a voltage range between 400 and 750 V. Under these conditions, with relatively low hydrogen consumption, the expected service life is around 40,000 hours.
When it comes to hydrogen, the concern is always transport safety. In this case, the cylinders are type 4, consisting of a plastic inner container and a carbon-fibre outer casing that combines very high strength characteristics with low weight and long service life. Hydrogen refueling takes place only on the right side of the vehicle, at the height of the second axle, via a specific nozzle. Refueling time is approximately 10 minutes for the single bus. For the articulated bus, it is slightly longer due to the larger cylinder capacity.
