Daimler Buses backs charging services with €200m

Daimler Buses will invest up to €200m (US$216m) in its European service network over the coming years, prioritising charging infrastructure services and a new dedicated hotline as it expands its Omniplus brand on its 30th anniversary. The Daimler Truck division also confirmed that its first battery-electric coach technology demonstrator, the eCoach, will begin test drives shortly.

The Omniplus network currently spans more than 630 sites across Europe, including 36 company-owned service centres and over 130 specialised e-bus locations staffed with certified high-voltage technicians. The €200m commitment funds new service locations, modernisation of existing facilities and an expanded charging-infrastructure portfolio under the new Omniplus Charge sub-brand, which has secured more than 70 projects since launch.

A new charging-station hotline operating in eight languages is designed to resolve around 85% of cases remotely, supported by a trained nationwide electrical engineering team initially in Germany before rolling out across Europe. Daimler Buses also installs and operates charging stations at customer depots under a Charging-as-a-Service model.

The eCoach is based on the Setra 516 HD platform and forms part of the manufacturer’s e-roadmap, funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eIntouro interurban e-bus enters the market this year, joining the eCitaro city e-bus that has been on sale since 2018.

Till Oberwörder, Chief Executive, Daimler Buses, said: “Buses only earn money when they are in operation. Daimler Buses is therefore becoming a provider of service ecosystems, enabling companies to focus fully on their core business.”

Source: Daimler Truck