Two family‑run bus companies in Kempten in the Allgäu region are starting their journey into electromobility with the eCitaro from Mercedes‑Benz.
Omnibus Magazine
The eCitaro electrifies Kempten city traffic.
Turning point in the Allgäu region with the switch to electromobility in urban traffic.
The eCitaro electrifies Kempten city traffic.
Turning point in the Allgäu region with the switch to electromobility in urban traffic.
“You just have to go with the flow,” says Martin Haslach, Managing Director of bus company Haslach Bus in Kempten, about the secret to the success of operating electric buses in city bus transport. The switch from diesel buses to electric drives is a turning point, comparable to the upheaval that his predecessors once successfully mastered in the family business when they switched from horse‑drawn carriages to combustion engines. The company is now facing a similarly major upheaval, which is much more than replacing the drive system in the buses.
“The battery-electric drive is clearly the first choice for city bus transport. ”
Together and holistically.
In Kempten in the Allgäu region, the challenge of electromobility is tackled jointly and holistically in every respect. A city bus service has been running in Kempten since 1949. Today, it is operated by Kemptener Verkehrsbetriebe and runs on behalf of the two local bus companies Berchtold's Autoreisen and Haslach Bus. Both are family-run bus companies in the fourth generation.
The electric bus is the most efficient solution.
When it came to the question of how to switch to alternative drives in city bus transport, various technologies were discussed initially. A study commissioned for Kempten then quickly and unambiguously showed that the electric drive is the most efficient solution in city bus transport. “The battery‑electric drive is clearly the first choice here,” Martin Haslach is convinced and adds: “Basically, they have no other choice as a bus operator.”
The eCitaro is the bus of choice.
Consequently, the electric bus of choice for Kempten is the Mercedes‑Benz eCitaro. At the beginning of 2024, Berchtold's Autoreisen and Haslach Bus took over 16 electric buses from Mercedes‑Benz, with a further eleven buses to follow during the year, so that a total of 27 electrically powered buses will be in regular service in Kempten from 2025. All regular city traffic – with the exception of the school bus boosters – will be operated electrically from 2025.
Drawing on the full potential of the battery pack.
At the same time, the depots of the two bus companies in Kempten will be equipped with charging infrastructure. In terms of equipping the eCitaro, we have pulled all the stops for battery packs, says Martin Haslach. The electric buses are charged at the depots, and they have been running smoothly from the outset, both bus companies emphasise. The air-conditioning systems as well as the heaters are electrically operated. “This is where we went all out,” says Martin Haslach.
The OMNIplus all-round carefree package.
Kempten has also gone all out in terms of service: all eCitaro buses are equipped with an OMNIplus ePremium eServiceContract. The package covers all maintenance work in accordance with the bus manufacturer's specifications and also includes repairs to the high‑voltage system. This ensures long-term planning and maximum vehicle availability. In addition, it covers repairs to the entire vehicle – including any replacements of wear parts. Also very important and inclusive: the Europe‑wide 24h Service.
“Our vision is to also produce 100 percent of the electricity consumed in Kempten's public transport system here in Kempten. ”
And Kempten is constantly optimising processes, especially with regard to power management, from generation to charging strategy. “Our vision is to also produce 100 percent of the electricity consumed in Kempten's public transport system here in Kempten,” says Helmut Berchtold, Managing Director of Berchtold's Autoreisen. To this end, the roofs and open spaces at the depots are being fitted with PV systems. Two-megawatt-hour power storage units have been set up at the sites, a move that creates flexibility and allows for cost‑effective charging. That's why eCitaro buses go in service with batteries that are not fully charged: so they can be recharged when rates are particularly low.
Electric buses are well received in Kempten.
“Energy management is the central task for electric buses to be successful”, emphasises Annika Spatscheck, who is responsible for the electromobility project for both bus companies. In Kempten, at any rate, the eCitaro is on track for success. The buses run reliably and economically. And electric buses are very well received by citizens. Especially the fact that the new buses are so quiet is praised time and again. “We get very positive feedback from local residents,” says Annika Spatscheck.
