Daimler Buses tests electric coach concept with over 500 km range

Daimler Buses and its research and industry partners have completed a test drive of an electric coach technology demonstrator in Neu-Ulm. The vehicle is part of the ELCH (Electrified Coach) project, which aims to develop and validate a market-ready battery-electric coach concept capable of traveling more than 500 kilometers on a single charge.

The project addresses various aspects, including vehicle systems, aerodynamics, lightweight construction, and economic viability. The German federal government is funding the €6.26 million initiative, which is scheduled to continue through the end of 2026. Findings from ELCH are intended to support Daimler Buses' objective to offer battery-electric coaches by the end of the decade.

During the test drive and the project's final in-person consortium meeting, technical concepts were assessed and validated under practical conditions. Key partners in the project include the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Mannheim, the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU), and Flix SE.

Research partners are contributing expertise in areas such as energy efficiency, economic feasibility, and operational deployment. KIT is analyzing vehicle data for operational strategy optimization, RPTU is studying lightweight construction and aerodynamics to enhance range, and the University of Mannheim is evaluating the economic competitiveness of electric coaches. Flix SE provides insights from real-world long-distance coach operations.

Daimler Buses plans to introduce its battery-electric coach lineup by the end of the current decade, with the ELCH project's outcomes expected to inform subsequent vehicle concepts and technologies.