KVG awards contract for 28 Mercedes eCitaro G articulated buses; over 120 VDL e-buses already in service in Kiel

KVG has awarded Daimler Buses a contract for the supply of 28 battery-electric Mercedes eCitaro G articulated buses, with deliveries scheduled from 2027.

The contract also includes an option for five additional vehicles and follows an EU-wide procurement process in which Daimler Buses emerged as the selected supplier.

The agreement was signed in the presence of KVG Managing Director Andreas Schulz, Mayor Dr. Samet Yilmaz, Daimler Buses Head of Public Transport and Authorities Sales Germany Markus Fischer, KVG Head of Operations and Technology Anneke Borchert, KVG Commercial Director Hauke Evers, and representatives of the Daimler Buses sales organization.

KVG currently operates a fleet of 218 vehicles, including 122 battery-electric buses. Most of those are from VDL: a first tender was awarded already in 2019 for 36 vehicles, followed by a second order for 36 units commissioned in 2023. By spring 2026, an additional 50 VDL buses (ordered in 2023), along with 2 electric minibuses from Wisdom, were expected (as of late 2025) to join the fleet. KVG had completed the electrification of its second depot in September 2025.

Kiel is the capital of the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein and one of the country’s major Baltic Sea ports.

Economic and technical requirements drive eCitaro G selection

The award decision was based on a combination of economic and technical criteria defined in the tender procedure. Daimler Truck stated that operating costs, follow-up costs, technical specifications, the vehicle high-voltage architecture and sustainability-related aspects were among the determining factors in the evaluation process.

Daimler Buses will deliver an initial pilot vehicle during the third quarter of 2027. Series deliveries are scheduled to take place during the fourth quarter of 2027 and the first quarter of 2028.

All vehicles will be configured as four-door articulated buses and equipped with the latest NMC4 battery generation. Each eCitaro G will feature five battery packs, with an energy capacity of 111 kWh per pack.

Charging operations will be carried out via pantograph infrastructure. The articulated buses are intended for operation on routes requiring higher passenger capacity within the Kiel public transport network.

The contract strengthens the presence of the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro family in the German electric bus market and adds a further battery-electric deployment project to Daimler Buses’ order portfolio.

“With the procurement of the new eCitaro G, KVG is consistently continuing its expansion of emission-free mobility,” said Andreas Schulz, Managing Director of KVG.

“With the procurement of the new eCitaro G, KVG is consistently continuing its expansion of emission-free mobility,” said KVG Managing Director Andreas Schulz.