Anniversary in Mannheim: for twenty-five years, the Competence Center for Emission-Free Mobility (KEM) has been the pilot factory for Daimler AG's vehicles with alternative drive systems. As a development partner within the company, KEM builds prototypes, produces small series and prepares series start-ups. This closes the gap between vehicle development and large-scale production. Mainly, KEM focuses on introducing and integrating electric and other alternative drive systems into series production. At the same time, designing production lines with cutting-edge technologies is one of KEM's core competencies. More than 50 engineers, master craftsmen and mechatronics specialists combine their extensive know-how to define new manufacturing processes for components of low-emission and emission-free vehicles such as battery packs or entire battery systems.
What's new
News 2019
Expertise for the future: The Competence Center for Emission-free Mobility (KEM) in Mannheim is celebrating its 25th anniversary – preparations for the series production of battery packs are gaining speed.
Stuttgart / Mannheim, December 17, 2019
- A quarter of a century of prototypes, small-series production runs and series start-ups of low-emission and emission-free vehicles in Mannheim
- Series production of battery packs for the eActros and eCitaro benefits from an experienced team
- Dr. Frank Reintjes, Head of Global Powertrain, E-Mobility and Production Planning at Daimler Truck AG: "At Daimler Trucks & Buses, we are pursuing a sustainable business strategy with the aim of CO2-neutral road transportation. This can only be realised using electric commercial vehicles with a battery or fuel cell drive. We're constantly developing both of these technologies to series production: we will launch battery-powered trucks onto the market from 2021 onwards, followed by hydrogen drives by the end of the 2020s."
- Andreas Moch, Head of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim: "It's very important for us to rapidly implement innovations in the production of new drive technologies and to introduce them into series production. And that's exactly KEM's area of expertise and competence. Especially in the current transformation of the automotive industry, this is of utmost importance."
- Georg Klohr, Head of the Competence Center for Emission-Free Mobility: "In the past twenty-five years, we've gained a considerable amount of experience with a variety of technologies. With this knowledge, we are very well positioned for the future. Already today, each Daimler vehicle with an alternative drive system also contains a piece of KEM's expertise. And that's something we're very proud of!"
Dr. Frank Reintjes, Head of Global Powertrain, E-Mobility and Production Planning at Daimler Truck AG: "At Daimler Trucks & Buses, we are pursuing a sustainable business strategy with the aim of a CO2-neutral form of road transportation. This can only be realised using electric commercial vehicles with a battery or fuel cell drive. We're constantly developing both of these technologies to series production: We will launch battery-powered trucks onto the market from 2021 onwards, followed by hydrogen drives by the end of the 2020s. But these vehicles will only prevail on the market if they are economically viable for our customers and if the necessary charging infrastructure is available. Here, we especially need our political representatives to put suitable framework conditions in place."
Series production of battery packs and systems "Made in Mannheim".
The Competence Center for Emission-Free Mobility has already been involved in the series start-up of the fully electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro city bus, which has been manufactured in Mannheim since the end of 2018. Since then, battery modules have been pre-assembled into battery systems for the eCitaro at KEM. These are mounted to the roof and also installed into the engine compartment during the city bus's assembly. Due to this expertise, series production of battery packs for the eActros scheduled from 2021 onwards will also take place at KEM.
Daimler will continue to rely on the Competence Center in the future.
As part of the future package passed in agreement with the works council in February 2019, an investment volume in the double-digit millions in the Mercedes-Benz site in Mannheim has been announced. KEM, which plays a key role in Daimler Truck AG's sustainable corporate strategy, also benefits from this. For apart from its twenty-five years of experience, KEM's new production hall with state-of-the-art equipment is a considerable advantage. In operation since 2016, the 15,000 square metre building houses the necessary equipment for vehicle-specific high-voltage applications as well as facilities for the production of hydrogen tank systems including high-pressure leak testing systems.
"It's very important for us to rapidly implement innovations in the production of new drive technologies and to introduce them into series production. And that's exactly KEM's area of expertise and competence. Especially in the current transformation of the automotive industry, this is of utmost importance," says Andreas Moch, Head of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim.
A success story with a secure future – the Competence Center for Emission-Free Mobility.
The Competence Center was founded in 1994 for emission-free commercial vehicles and began solely as an experimental workshop for new drive systems. One of its first projects was the assembly of T1-model vehicles – the predecessor of the Sprinter – with electric drives in 1996. Over the past decades, its focus of development as well as production have been diverse and wide-ranging, based on the most recent events and trends. For example, its focus was primarily on natural gas drives in the early 2000s, while it has been shifting more and more to electric drivetrains and battery technologies in the past years. Most recently, KEM has completed the assembly of eActros trucks for customer testing in a team effort with the Mercedes-Benz sites in Wörth and Stuttgart. Among other things, KEM took over the training and qualification of employees with regard to the new technology and its corresponding production processes.
As Georg Klohr, Head of the Competence Center for Emission-Free Mobility, points out regarding the increasing relevance of alternative drives in recent years: "In the past twenty-five years, we've gained a considerable amount of experience with a variety of technologies. With this knowledge, we are very well positioned for the future. Already today, each Daimler vehicle with an alternative drive system also contains a piece of KEM's expertise. And that's something we're very proud of!"
Mannheim – a Daimler Truck AG production site that is steeped in tradition.
Mercedes-Benz and Mannheim are linked by a very special history. On January 29, 1886, this is where engineer Carl Benz invented the world’s first automobile with the patent number 37435 – the Benz Patent Motor Car. What is now the Mercedes-Benz Mannheim plant was founded in Luzenberg, Mannheim-Waldhof in 1908. Today, the Mannheim site employs more than 8,600 people in the production of engines and corresponding components for commercial vehicles as well as in the production of buses. The plant's foundry is one of the world's leading producers of cast-iron vehicle components. Engines are also prepared for commercial vehicles and passenger cars at the "European Center for Reconditioned Engine Production". In addition, the plant is the home of the large family of Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses. From shell construction to final assembly, the Citaro is produced entirely in Mannheim. The Citaro's flexible production methods cover the entire drivetrain portfolio – from a low-emission combustion engine to variants with hybrid and natural gas drives right up to the fully electric eCitaro. In addition, the Competence Center for Emission-Free Mobility has been accompanying the drivetrains of the future for all vehicle segments from prototype to series production for 25 years. Training and securing new talent are equally important in Mannheim: young people have been training here for more than 100 years; a total of nearly 11,000 since vocational training was first launched.
Mercedes-Benz: future-proof technology, maximum profitability, highest safety levels and a minibus.
Outstanding and future-proof technology, maximum profitability, an unparalleled level of safety and high comfort – this is what the buses from Mercedes‑Benz stand for. As a full-line provider the brand covers the entire spectrum of low-floor city buses through inter-city buses to the touring coaches, flanked by minibuses which also cover the entire range. This is documented by the vehicles exhibited at the Busworld show. This is where Mercedes‑Benz is presenting a representative cross-section of its range in the form of the innovative eCitaro, the versatile Intouro and the Tourismo, which is as profitable as it is safe and comfortable. The Sprinter Travel 75 plays a special role. It is celebrating its world premiere at Busworld. The quartet of buses with the star is uniformly painted in smoke silver metallic at the Busworld show. This colour shade appears elegant and technical in equal measure and perfectly reflects the character of the buses from Mercedes‑Benz.
Stuttgart / Brussels, 12 September 2019
- Mercedes-Benz minibuses: world premiere of the Sprinter Travel 75
- Mercedes-Benz Citaro: for city bus, read Citaro
- Mercedes Benz Intouro: the favourite for cool calculators
- Mercedes-Benz Tourismo: the bestselling touring coach celebrates its birthday
Mercedes-Benz minibuses: world premiere of the Sprinter Travel 75.
The Mercedes‑Benz minibuses on the basis of the Sprinter take a leading role in Europe when it comes to minibuses over 3.5 t permissible gross weight. They supplement the range of large buses from Daimler Buses, so it now includes a complete range for all fields of application. The offering consists of four model series: the specialised Sprinter City covers urban and suburban regular-service, the flexible Sprinter Transfer takes care of inter‑city routes, school bus services, excursions and shuttle services, the Sprinter Mobility represents the transportation of passengers with restricted mobility and the Sprinter Travel tourism. At the Busworld show the Sprinter Travel 75 is celebrating its world premiere; the 8.5 m long minibus is the exclusive face of tourist transportation.
Exclusive engineering: heavy-duty rear axle, own wheelbase.
The platform of the Sprinter Travel 75 is the chassis from the Mercedes‑Benz Sprinter, but only up to the B‑pillar. Aft of the B-pillar is a self-supporting integral minibus skeleton. This offers advantages including around ten centimetres more interior width in the passenger compartment than minibuses on the basis of the Sprinter Panel Van. This creates the installation space for the especially comfortable Mercedes‑Benz large bus seats in a 2+1 configuration.
The new city Sprinter Travel 75 is characterised by an autonomous wheelbase of 5100 mm. The permissible gross weight is 6.5 t and offers sufficient reserves for comfort-enhancing equipment, passengers and luggage. The basis of the high permissible gross weight is a high-load rear axle with air suspension developed exclusively for Mercedes‑Benz minibuses.
Unmistakeable design: cab and body merge.
The autonomous and extravagantly shaped body of the Sprinter Travel 75 takes the form of the Sprinter. Its panoramic windscreen is also drawn far upwards, underlining the impression of a touring coach. The cab and body merge with one another to form a single unit. The glazing on the body is distinctively arrow-shaped at the front, whilst at the rear the window support climbs aft of the rear axle. This produces an inimitable side line. The side panoramic double glazing features black glass. At the rear a touring coach tail end rounds off the Sprinter Travel 75. The design of the minibus is legally protected. Behind the luggage compartment flap there is a 2.0 m³ stowage space. To the left and right it is supplemented by side stowage spaces with respective capacities of 0.3 m³. The reversing lamps come from the EvoBus range, emphasising the family likeness and simplifying the supply of replacement parts. The exterior panelling in FRP with its perfect fit and smooth surfaces conveys the impression of the high quality level boasted by the Sprinter Travel 75.
Comfortable passenger compartment: seating for 18, seats from the Tourismo.
Passengers enter the passenger compartment of the Sprinter Travel 75 through a wide electrically operated outward-swinging door aft of the front axle. The passenger compartment has an impressive bus ceiling. There are integrated luggage shelves with side air ducts and LED light rails.
They include ambient lighting. Service sets with adjustable air outlet vents and LED reading lamps are also part of the equipment.
The standard seating consists of six double seats facing the direction of travel on the left and six individual seats in the direction of travel on the right, amounting to 18 passenger seats. On request up to 21 passenger seats and one co-driver's seat are available. The top-quality 450 mm wide TravelStarXtra (TSX) seats are very familiar from the bestselling Mercedes‑Benz Tourismo touring coach and are available in numerous variants. A further feature of the high level of travel comfort in the Sprinter Travel 75 is the sophisticated heating and climate control: circulating hot-water convectors heat the passenger compartment, as does a hot-water auxiliary heater with a stationary heater function. Also standard is a driver's air conditioning system with an output of 7 kW and the passenger compartment air conditioning with an output of 11 kW in fresh-air and air-recirculation mode. Refreshment is assured, for on request the minibus has a refrigerator in front of the first seat row on the right.
New minibus variants for inter-city and urban transport.
The Mercedes‑Benz minibus family is also growing: the inter-city bus Sprinter Transfer 45 and the city bus Sprinter City 45 complement the range of vehicles.
Exemplary cockpit: MBUX multimedia system on request.
The cockpit ranges from the functional standard equipment to the multifunction leather steering wheel, a colour display between the clearly arranged instruments as well as a high-resolution display in the area of the centre console, which can be selected in the maximum format of 10.25 inches. The ground-breaking multimedia system Mercedes‑Benz User Experience MBUX is available as an option, including voice control and realtime navigation.
The engine on the basis of the Mercedes‑Benz OM 651 with 2.15 litres displacement is tried and tested. The standard engine output on the Sprinter Travel 75 is 120 kW (163 hp). As an alternative the V6 turbodiesel Mercedes‑Benz OM 642 with 3.0 litres displacement and 140 kW (190 hp), unique in this class, is used. Power transmission to the rear axle is taken care of as standard by the comfortable and economical 7G‑Tronic PLUS automatic transmission with torque converter.
Numerous assistance systems fulfil the high Mercedes‑Benz safety standards. Standard equipment on board alongside ESP with many subfunctions includes Crosswind Assist, Active Brake Assist, start-off assist and the HOLD function. Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC supports the driver as an option. On request the Sprinter Travel is also fitted with the new LED headlamps.
One fundamental advantage of the new Sprinter Travel 75 and all other Mercedes‑Benz minibuses: all bodies, conversions and installations are coordinated and approved by Mercedes‑Benz Vans. All processes in industrial production meet the same high quality standards as Mercedes‑Benz Vans. All minibuses have the full manufacturer's guarantee, extensive documentation and the proven outstanding OMNIplus service.
Mercedes-Benz Citaro: for city bus, read Citaro.
The low-floor Citaro city bus combines versatility with economical and future‑proof drive technologies, exemplary safety technology, comfort and environmental friendliness. The large number of variants has recently increased even further thanks to the Citaro hybrid – also as the Citaro NGT hybrid with a natural-gas engine – and the fully electrically powered eCitaro. The classic is the 12.14 metre long Citaro solo bus. It is framed by the compact Citaro K and the Citaro G articulated bus. For maximum passenger capacity the four-axle large-capacity CapaCity and CapaCity L buses are recommended; they are derived from the Citaro. The Citaro Ü and Citaro GÜ do the inter-city transport. As a low-entry model the Citaro LE combines the advantages of a barrier-free front section with a high-floor tail end.
The Mercedes‑Benz Citaro is the success story among low-floor buses. The proof: Mercedes‑Benz recently built Citaro number 55,555, 2 years after the premiere of the first-generation low-floor city bus. The anniversary vehicle was an eCitaro, which is currently the focus of attention. Its drive system is built on an electric portal axle with electric motors on the wheel hubs. The peak output of the engines is 2 x 125 kW, the torque at the driven wheels 2 x 11,000 Nm. Lithium-ion batteries with an overall capacity of up to 292 kWh take care of the power supply. They consist of a maximum of twelve modules. Thanks to highly advanced thermal management the eCitaro achieves tremendous energy efficiency.
With the maximum amount of batteries fitted the eCitaro achieves a system‑relevant range of around 170 kilometres, even in difficult conditions, 365 days a year.
With its charging technology the eCitaro can be adapted individually to particular applications. At series introduction it started out with charging via plugs. In future, as announced, it will also be optionally chargeable via a current collector (pantograph) if intermediate charging is required. Initially the eCitaro will now optionally be equipped with an integral current collector. In this case it can be fitted with up to ten battery modules. In 2020, a variant with charging rails on the roof for charging via charging stations with integrated contact arms will be available.
These are examples of the steps in the announced innovation initiative with the eCitaro for rapid and practically-oriented electrification of local public transport with buses in cities and conurbations. The further timetable has been laid out: the next generation of lithium-ion batteries currently used, with a greater capacity, will be made available to customers as early as 2020/2021. During the second half of the year 2020, solid-state batteries with an especially long service life and high energy density will be in use.
The eCitaro family also continues to grow. With the eCitaro G Mercedes‑Benz will extend the range of fully electrically powered eCitaro models to include an articulated bus variant. It meets the requirement for locally emission-free mobility in highly trafficked cities and metropolitan regions with a high volume of passengers and traffic. Subsequently, it is anticipated that the range of the eCitaro will be increased yet again, this time by means of a range extender in the form of a fuel cell for generating electricity from the year 2022. It will be designed to allow the eCitaro to fulfil nearly 100 percent of all requirements on city buses. Intermediate charging is superfluous with this technology – the eCitaro will be able to replace city buses with a combustion engine virtually one to one.
Mercedes Benz Intouro: the favourite for cool calculators.
Anyone who can add up chooses the Mercedes‑Benz Intouro: the highly profitable and functional inter-city bus is a favourite with keenly calculating bus companies throughout Europe.
A solid technical basis, high reliability, strong price/performance ratio, high overall cost-effectiveness – the Mercedes‑Benz Intouro is made for cool calculators. It covers the entire spectrum from inter-city to factory transport to day trips.
A single-leaf door at the front, single- or twin-leaf central door, an optional lift for wheelchairs, on request a pram or wheelchair space inside, a demountable platform and the choice of overland seating, InterStarEco (ISE), and seating for touring purposes, TravelStarEco (TSE) – Mercedes‑Benz Intouro meets a whole host of requirements. Still it is a true economic miracle. The Intouro is available as a two‑axle model in three lengths. It is driven by compact six-cylinder inline units from the Mercedes‑Benz OM 936 model series with a displacement of 7.7 litres and an output of 220 kW (299 hp)/260 kW (354 hp). There is an especially wide selection when it comes to power transmission: a six‑speed manual transmission, fully automated Mercedes‑Benz GO 250‑8 PowerShift transmission or an automatic transmission with torque converter – the Intouro is also highly flexible in this regard, too.
Mercedes-Benz Tourismo: the bestselling touring coach celebrates its birthday.
Congratulations: the touring coach with the star is celebrating a double anniversary this year: presented 25 years ago in its first generation, Mercedes‑Benz has now produced around 30,000 Tourismo touring coaches.
The third generation is now out on the streets of Europe. There were ambitious specifications for the high-decker touring coach from Mercedes‑Benz: maximum economy, safety, functionality and comfort. The result is the Tourismo RHD – a touring coach whose characteristics impress companies, passengers and drivers in equal measure. Its field of possible uses ranges from long-distance bus routes to long-distance tourism and also includes shuttles, day trips and the occasional use on inter-city bus routes. This makes the Tourismo RHD a star in the business segment, which is how Mercedes‑Benz defines this especially wide-ranging field of application for the bus sector.
The Tourismo is a true Mercedes‑Benz: the standard-fit emergency braking assistance system Active Brake Assist 4 (ABA 4), Sideguard Assist, distance control with Stop-and-Go Assist, Attention Assist (AtAs) – just some of the highly advanced safety technology in the new Tourismo RHD. The Tourismo RHD impresses with its high profitability. The basis for this is the six‑cylinder inline Mercedes‑Benz OM 470 with a displacement of 10.7 litres.
The new top-of-the-line engine variant delivering 335 kW (456 hp) combines high driving dynamics with low fuel consumption. The compact six-cylinder inline Mercedes‑Benz OM 936 with 7.7 litre displacement and an output of 260 kW (354 hp) is available as special equipment. It combines low consumption with low weight. Five output categories are available to choose from in total.
Handling fuel economically is not just theory, it is practised by the Tourismo. This was proven by the "EcoChamp 2018" consumption competition: the top result for use by bus drivers in touring operations in real conditions was under 20 litres/100 km for the two-axled Tourismo. On the three-axled Tourismo L it was virtually 22 litres/100 km – across 94,000 km with 24 drivers. The campaign is currently continuing in many European markets as "EcoChamp 2019".
A high-deck touring coach is an investment item for a company and a driver's place of work. They both call for maximum functionality. The Tourismo RHD lives up to this aspiration thanks to its modular system. With four models in three different lengths, ranging from 12.3 m to 14.0 m, and a choice of either a two- or three-axle variant, the high-decker has something to suit almost any requirements. All models are optionally available with either left- or right-hand drive.
Advance compliance with new fire protection standard UN ECE-R 118.02 for buses.
For Daimler Buses optimum safety is a fundamental value and adherence to the legal requirements is a natural obligation. For this reason, all affected interior materials of the Mercedes-Benz and Setra bus and coach brands are currently being tested and, if necessary, redesigned. That is why Daimler Buses is already offering its customers a considerable part of its optional interior collection in accordance with the regulations that will be mandatory as of July 2020. Further materials will follow as soon as possible, in as far as it is technically feasible.
Electromobility is about much more than just a city bus –the comprehensive e-mobility system from Mercedes-Benz.
A simple ideal: combustion engine out, electric drive in – a plug-and-play kind of solution. If only things were so simple! Electromobility actually means completely rethinking urban mobility. That's why e‑mobility from Mercedes‑Benz is about more than just the fully-electric eCitaro; it's about offering a comprehensive system composed of a number of different components. The comprehensive eMobility system takes into account such things as power supply, charging infrastructure, route planning, telematics systems, service concepts and, last but not least, the training of employees.
Perfectly planned changeover: Mercedes-Benz eMobility Consulting helps.
In transport companies, the conversion to electromobility means more than energy consumption and range. Key words here are route guidance and routes, topography and weather conditions, bus stop spacing or timetabling. Thankfully, these are familiar territories for the specialists at Mercedes‑Benz. They use simulation software to see which routes are suitable for e-mobility and, upon request, come up with suggestions for electric bus routes.
Stuttgart / Brussels, 12 September 2019
- Perfectly planned changeover: Mercedes-Benz eMobility Consulting helps
- Well advised: the eMobility Service concept from OMNIplus
- Always connected: integration into telematic systems taps full potential
- Top performance: tailored charging infrastructure
- Highly charged: how the bus gets its energy
Well advised: the eMobility Service concept from OMNIplus.
E-mobility requires a range of specific services. The eMobility Service concept starts with assisting the customer's own workshop, but also includes the tailor-made service contracts eBasic and ePremium, and concludes with BusDepot Management. Here, employees from OMNIplus look after the vehicle in the customer's own workshop. The OMNIplus Training Centre in Dortmund provides exemplary information about the equipment required by a workshop for electric buses and offers a complete training concept for e-mobility.
Always connected: integration into telematic systems taps full potential.
The eCitaro is a communicative vehicle – it is networked with the charging infrastructure in accordance with the ISO ‑15118 protocol. Mercedes-Benz offers solutions for integrating the vehicle-specific data in management systems. Via the OMNIplus ON portal, companies can obtain an insight into the operating data of their fleet. In conjunction with the ITS software provider IVU Traffic Technologies, Mercedes-Benz offers integrated systems solutions which ensure maximum transparency in planning routes, and concludes with depot management.
Top performance: tailored charging infrastructure.
As standard, Mercedes-Benz envisages charging to be carried out by plugging in the vehicles at the depot. Upon request, "opportunity charging" can also be made possible, optionally by means of a pantograph on the roof or with a combination of charging rails and a stationary current collector. The specialists from Mercedes‑Benz have put various charging infrastructures through their paces and will be happy to provide advice and recommendations.
Highly charged: how the bus gets its energy.
The delivery of electrical energy to the bus is the central aspect of inner-city e-mobility. Mercedes-Benz eMobility Consulting provides assistance with infrastructure planning, calculates the necessary electrical supply, has good connections with the network and grid operators, and will recommend the right charging technology to suit the requirements – including the organisation of the depot with suitable parking bays and electrical connections to the buses.
CO₂ neutral with gas-powered engine: Mercedes-Benz Citaro NGT hybrid.
28. February 2019 – The switch-over to electric drive systems in urban buses is a complex topic and requires extensive preparations. Thus, the rapid and comparatively less cost-intensive option to implement the especially environmentally friendly intermediate technology goes by the name of the Mercedes‑Benz Citaro NGT hybrid with natural-gas drive. With the optional hybrid module, Mercedes‑Benz has developed a technological treat: The Citaro NGT hybrid is up to 8.5 percent more efficient. Gas engines emit almost no particulate matter and NOx emissions are also very low. When used in conjunction with biogas or bio natural gas, the Citaro NGT hybrid is almost CO₂ neutral. And it is this technology which Augsburg's public utilities are turning to with their six new Citaro NGT hybrid buses. In Oldenburg, the VWG transport company will be putting the world's first Citaro G NGT hybrid articulated bus into operation, and best of all, they will be running it on bio natural gas. Demand around Europe is high: In Bourges, central France, where the transport company STU Bourges is a subsidiary of RATP Dev, has also decided for the Citaro NGT hybrid as well as Spanish providers EMT Madrid and Aucorsa Cordoba. Plus, in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana this summer, the first of a total order of 17 Citaro NGT hybrid buses will take to the streets.
