Leinfelden-Echterdingen / Munich – A fantastic result with three first places in this year’s readers’ choice organised by the trade magazine busplaner published by Munich-based Huss-Verlag: the innovative and environmentally friendly technologies in the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro fuel cell and Intouro K buses as well as the Daimler Buses Active Brake Assist 5 were declared the winners in three categories and awarded the busplaner Innovation Award 2023. Almost 4,000 transport and bus/touring coach travel companies took part in this year’s readers’ vote. The award ceremony took place on 13 July 2023 at the Aumeister restaurant, located in the English Garden of the Bavarian capital Munich.

Readers of busplaner trade magazine crowned the all-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro fuel cell articulated bus with hydrogen-based fuel cell range extender the winner in the “Electric buses: 18 m” category. The environmentally friendly vehicle impressed knowledgeable readers with its remarkable range of around 350 kilometres. The vehicle is charged at the depot using a plug connector.

By meeting the demands of transport operators for long ranges to cover longer routes in regular service, the locally emission-free eCitaro fuel cell articulated bus can almost seamlessly replace city buses with combustion engines in cities' public transport fleets. It is based on a battery-electric drive with state-of-the-art NMC 3 battery technology. The fuel cell, which generates electricity from hydrogen and provides 60 kW of power, serves to extend the range. Thanks to the favourable weight distribution, this technology facilitates a high passenger capacity.

On request, Daimler Buses will also supply the charging infrastructure, as well as charging and fleet management via the recently established Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH – either in modules or completely from a single source.

The particularly agile Mercedes-Benz Intouro K intercity bus, which readers of the busplaner magazine awarded the busplaner Innovation Prize 2023 in the “Diesel and CNG Buses (City/Intercity)” category, also took first place on the winner’s rostrum. With its “short” length of 10.75 metres across two axles, up to 47 passenger seats, a variety of highly efficient driver assistance systems of the latest generation and a large destination display system, the Intouro K is a modern intercity bus for well-maintained fleets.

In the “Vehicle equipment and assistance systems” category, Active Brake Assist 5 (ABA 5) achieved the highest score and thus first place in the 2023 readers’ vote. ABA 5 is a central milestone in the integral safety concept of Daimler Buses, which ensures the greatest possible safety in buses by the Mercedes-Benz and Setra brands.

ABA 5 works with a combination of radar and camera systems and is the only system of its kind capable of carrying out automated emergency braking up to a standstill not only for stationary and moving obstacles, but also for moving pedestrians and people who suddenly stop.