Daimler Buses becomes first European OEM to build brand-neutral public bus chargers in touristic destinations

From 2026, Daimler Buses will install its own public charging stations for electric buses and coaches. The initiative targets high-traffic tourist destinations such as city bus parking lots and amusement parks, aiming to make electric vehicles viable on travel routes that extend beyond urban public transport.

With this step, Daimler Buses becomes the first European bus manufacturer to invest directly in public charging infrastructure, the group states. Its subsidiary Daimler Buses Solutions GmbH will manage planning, construction, operation, and maintenance. Financing and operation will be handled by the company, with revenues generated through electricity sales. Property owners, in turn, receive a turnkey charging solution without having to provide their own investment.

The starting point is Cologne: in cooperation with the regional agency NRW.Energy4Climate and the City of Cologne, Daimler Buses will set up four fast-charging points for buses and coaches near the city center. Each station will deliver up to 400 kW of charging power and will be accessible around the clock. The site, “Buspark Cologne” on Kuhweg, is the central arrival point for tourist buses and is linked to local public transport.

Daimler Buses to install its own chargers

The move comes just as Daimler Buses prepares to launch its first battery-electric intercity bus. On October 3, the Mercedes eIntouro will make its world premiere at Busworld 2025 in Brussels. The vehicle, first presented in late 2024, will be available with one or two LFP battery packs, delivering ranges of up to 500 kilometers.

The eIntouro complements Daimler Buses’ existing zero-emission portfolio: the eCitaro city bus has been in series production since 2018 and is also available with a hydrogen-based fuel cell range extender since 2023. By the end of the decade, the company plans to add fully battery-electric coaches, with fuel cell variants to follow.

Cologne as test case for electrified tourism

Back to Cologne’s pilot project, the “Buspark Cologne” parking facility on Kuhweg, located west of the Rhine, is well-connected to local public transport via the Slabystraße streetcar stop. The parking lot serves as a central location for all intercity buses and coaches taking tourists to Cologne. Bus operators will be able to quickly charge their electric buses and coaches – regardless of brand – with green electricity, Daimler Buses says.

The four new fast-charging stations will each provide a nominal output of 400 kW. The stations will be accessible to the public 24/7.

Ascan Egerer, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, City of Cologne: “Cologne is a popular destination for travel groups from Germany and abroad. We want to support the shift to sustainable drives so that visitors will soon be able to arrive conveniently with zero-emission buses. The fast-charging stations planned as a pilot project at the Kuhweg bus parking lot are therefore an important step towards sustainable tourism in Cologne. We are delighted to be a pilot city for this project – at the initiative of the regional energy and climate protection agency NRW.Energy4Climate – and to drive the mobility transition forward together.”

Till Oberwörder, CEO of Daimler Buses: “The future of the bus is electric. However, building the necessary public charging infrastructure is taking too long. We want to give an important impulse with our charging stations. Our new battery-electric intercity bus, the eIntouro, already connects cities and rural areas. It is also suitable for shorter trips. These are currently the most practical applications for electric buses and coaches outside of urban public transport. The vehicle will already benefit from the expansion of public charging infrastructure. For long-distance travel to far-flung or remote destinations, however, a comprehensive network is needed so that bus operators can use electric coaches economically and without compromising passenger comfort.”