Osnabrück achieves 94% electric bus fleet as 19 Mercedes eCitaro enter service

With 94 percent of its city bus fleet now fully electric, Osnabrück stands among Germany’s undisputed frontrunners in zero-emission public transport. The milestone was reached with the entry into service of 19 new Mercedes eCitaro buses supplied by Daimler Buses.

The vehicles officially entered service on November 1, coinciding with the timetable change. Today, 81 electric buses — including 62 articulated units from VDL and 19 new eCitaro — operate on Osnabrück’s network, delivering a nearly emission-free service across the city.

Already in January 2022, electric buses (62 at that time) were in operation on all five Osnabrück’s MetroBus axes.

The electrification program in Osnabrück is supported by €5.17 million from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), with an additional €1.75 million in co-financing from the state of Lower Saxony through LNVG. Further funding comes from the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) within the EU’s NextGenerationEU framework.

Osnabrück electric bus fleet in growing

For several years, the 62 articulated buses from VDL have been running on the city’s five MetroBus routes, covering around 3.6 million emission-free kilometers annually and cutting CO₂ emissions by approximately 2,100 tons per year. The new eCitaro solo buses will now reinforce this achievement, further increasing Osnabrück’s environmental impact.

Public transport operator SWO Mobil has trained drivers, technicians, and service staff to handle the new vehicles — a process that builds on the training model first developed in 2019 for the introduction of the articulated e-buses. The new vehicles will primarily serve the MetroBus lines, integrating seamlessly into the city’s high-frequency routes.

Each 12-meter eCitaro can carry up to 67 passengers and is equipped with three doors, a fold-out ramp for passengers with reduced mobility, and numerous double USB charging ports. Safety is ensured by modern assistance systems such as Sideguard Assist 2 and Frontguard Assist, capable of detecting obstacles and pedestrians in both side and front areas.

Powered by five battery packs totaling 491.5 kWh, the buses offer a range of more than 270 kilometers and can be charged both at the depot and at fast-charging stations located at the MetroBus termini.

“The new eCitaros are another big step toward a climate-neutral city,” emphasizes City Planning Officer Thimo Weitemeier. “Osnabrück has set itself ambitious goals with its pioneering climate protection concept. The almost completely electric city bus service shows that we are not just discussing climate protection, but are actually implementing it. With every new e-bus, our contribution to a livable, clean, and sustainable city grows.”

SWO-Mobil Managing Director Tanja Stiegeler is also enthusiastic: “With the eCitaros, our Osnabrück e-feeling continues to grow. The buses are quiet, comfortable, climate-friendly – and they bring modern technology to our streets. The fact that we are well ahead of the rest of Germany with an e-bus quota of 94 percent is the result of years of work and the tremendous commitment of our teams.”