National Express Coventry has completed a month-long trial of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro demonstrator. It formed part of work around a move to zero-emission across both its fleet and the wider National Express West Midlands operation.
The bus was used on a variety of routes in Coventry while on loan from dealership EvoBus (UK), which is based in the city. It also completed evaluation on two routes in south Birmingham. Overnight charging was utilised during its stay.
National Express Bus Managing Director David Bradford says that the eCitaro generated “excellent feedback about the build quality and the smooth and comfortable ride.”
The operator already has a significant number of battery-electric buses from other manufacturers in service in Coventry with an expectation that its zero-emission transition across the West Midlands will be completed by 2030.
“As we continue our journey, we are delighted to have been able to trial the all-new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro single-decker,” adds Mr Bradford. “It has been a great opportunity to test the vehicle and better understand its capabilities and efficiencies under our usual operating conditions.”
