Switzerland, TFP signs first deal for 24 Mercedes eCitaro (out of a 183-units framework) for Fribourg

Fribourg public transport company TPF, in Switzerland, announces it has ordered 24 Mercedes eCitaro electric buses. They are set for delivery in December 2026. This first order will be followed by others, TPF adds, as the carrier has committed to purchasing a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 183 eCitaro vehicles over the next […]

By Editorial Staff

Fribourg public transport company TPF, in Switzerland, announces it has ordered 24 Mercedes eCitaro electric buses. They are set for delivery in December 2026.

This first order will be followed by others, TPF adds, as the carrier has committed to purchasing a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 183 eCitaro vehicles over the next five years, as part of the tender awarded to Winterthur-based company Daimler Buses Suisse SA, local subsidiary of Daimler Buses.

TPF is aiming to decarbonise its entire bus fleet on its concessionary routes by 2033. This currently only applies to 13% of vehicles covered with battery-electric buses and battery-powered trolleybuses (a Hess delivery took place in late 2020).

24 Mercedes eCitaro coming to Fribourg

The order includes 18-metre articulated buses and 12-metre fast-charging buses, which are equipped with a lowerable pantograph. Investment? Around CHF 20 million ( some 21 million euros).

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The buses will operate in regional transport, but also in urban transport (Agglo and Mobul) from December 2026, the operator states. During the tendering phase, these buses were thoroughly analysed and extensively tested on the TPF network.

The operator stresses that “in March 2023 the Fribourg electorate approved an increase in TPF’s equity capital of CHF 60 million. This increase was also approved by the other two main shareholders, namely the City of Fribourg (CHF 12.5 million) and SBB (CHF 3.8 million). These funds are intended in particular to enable TPF to invest in new, decarbonised rolling stock without interest charges for the customers”.

As mentioned above, as part of the tender, TPF has committed to purchasing a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 183 eCitaro vehicles over the next five years. “This flexibility allows us to adapt to the wishes of our clients, but also to keep pace with the technological development of electric buses and batteries”, says Thomas Hans, Technical Manager Road Vehicles at TPF.

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