Barcelona boasts an extensive public transport network. Trains now mainly run underground along 12 metro lines, servicing 178 metro stations. Many of the buses that operate along major roads are electric and the roads even have inner express lanes. The hustle and bustle seemed to increase even more during the trade show. Which is hardly surprising. The 64th Global Public Transport Summit (GPTS), organised by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), is the world’s largest event for the public transport sector and was held in this city with a population of 1.6 million.

2700 delegates from 110 countries. 83 sessions with around 443 speakers. More than 17,000 tickets sold. The bare figures alone underline the importance of local public transport in the mobility industry. Daimler Buses was just one of 337 exhibitors from 41 countries. The knowledgeable audience was met by a dedicated team of experts at our modern, open-plan exhibition stand in Hall 6.

The Mercedes-Benz Citaro is already a true classic among city buses. Presented for the first time at the 1997 UITP convention (now GPTS) in Stuttgart, it was later launched as the eCitaro electric bus in 2018, since when around 1000 have been sold. Now the low-floor bus bearing the three-pointed star is once again setting new standards of innovation and range. At the 2023 event in Barcelona, Mercedes-Benz presented the latest addition to the eCitaro model range: the eCitaro fuel cell.

The eCitaro fuel cell is the first series-production Citaro to be equipped with a fuel cell. The fuel cell of the eCitaro fuel cell does not serve as the main energy source, but rather as a range extender. The exhibited articulated bus features a two-axle drive generating a peak output of 250 kW and a maximum torque of 22,000 Nm, vouching for its suitability for long and demanding routes. It has an upper range of around 350 kilometres without needing to recharge.

Naturally, the trade fair visitors were eager to find out more. Shahrukh Javed and Christoph Rethmann had all the details and patiently answered questions from customers and press representatives. Javed was delighted to say that “the world premiere of our eCitaro fuel cell at the GPTS is an absolute milestone for us". His colleague Rethmann added: “I am looking forward to sharing this success story with our customers”.

Daimler Buses executives also like to use major events of this kind to mingle informally with the audience and meet customers. Mirko Sgodda (Head of Marketing, Sales and Customer Services at Daimler Buses) and Till Oberwörder (CEO of Daimler Buses) were in good spirits. Especially as there was something else to celebrate just in time for the Global Public Transport Summit: the eCitaro has been named the 2023 Electric Bus Champion in Germany.

In this year’s electric bus comparison test, organised by renowned specialist publication Omnibusspiegel, the low-floor bus bearing the three-pointed star and boasting highly efficient NMC-3 batteries in its current version, came out on top against five competitors. The prize was handed over at the trade fair stand in a modest yet convivial ceremony.

Mr Oberwörder said, "We are delighted that the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro was able to hold its own in such a competitive environment and was the first electric bus ever to receive the Electric Bus Champion award. This victory confirms that we have succeeded in creating a modern, economical, comfortable, driver-friendly and service-friendly electric bus with the eCitaro. It is based on the tried-and-tested Citaro but has its own distinctive design and is embedded in a comprehensive eMobility concept."

The trade fair was also an opportune moment to announce even more good news concerning eSystems. Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH is Daimler Buses new subsidiary specialising exclusively in the design and construction of eBus infrastructure.

Mirko Sgodda described this corporate challenge as follows: "We already provide transport operators with complete turnkey eSystems. However, with the growing number of electrically powered buses on the roads, the complexity of e-infrastructure is increasing. Concentrating all related activities in one powerful business unit is a landmark event that will enable us to hone our range of services perfectly for the future."

The comprehensive eMobility package also includes the implementation of digital services on request. It is based on modified services from the digital Daimler Buses service platform OMNIplus ON that have been specifically tailored to the eCitaro. Bastian Lingelbach, Alena Melcher and Nils Richert were the resident experts on this topic at our stand.

The new OMNIplus ON Uptime pro service showcased at the GPTS makes it possible for companies’ in-house workshops to collect detailed diagnostic data. eProcurement is a further hot topic. For instance, the OMNIplus eShop can be linked directly to a companies’ own ERP system by integrating digital interfaces.

TiGR data packages are the third new feature of OMNIplus ON presented at the GPTS. This is virtual interface that makes vehicle data analysis even easier for transport companies by using the universal ITxPT transmission protocol.

Evening was falling outside Hall 6 of the Fira de Barcelona convention centre, not far from the huge free port. It was the perfect opportunity for visitors to review the many impressions and conversations they had during a long day at the trade fair and to enjoy the spectacular sunset over Barcelona.