VLP: Rapid Expansion of the E-Bus Fleet Also in Rural Areas

The Ludwigslust-Parchim Transport Company (VLP) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is focusing on the rapid expansion of its electric bus fleet. The company in the southwest of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has now received the last 15 of a total order of 45 Mercedes-Benz eCitaros – according to the company, they are predominantly to be used in regional transport.

The Ludwigsburg-Parchim district is the second largest district in Germany. Additionally, the Neuhaus area in the Lüneburg district also falls under the VLP's service region. Currently, the VLP services 172 lines with around 200 buses. Nearly one in four buses will now be replaced by a fully electric bus.

Electric Bus Fleet Also Functions in Rural Areas

The commitment of VLP and its partners is gaining recognition and appreciation industry-wide. This year, Managing Director Stefan Lösel received the EBUS-Award 2022. This national environmental award in public transport honored him as a "Personality of the Transport Industry" in the field of e-mobility "for his exemplary and creative commitment to the introduction of electrically operated buses in rural areas," according to the reasoning. VLP is the first transport company in Germany to convert bus services in rural areas to electric buses on a large scale.

Details

The sulfur-yellow Mercedes-Benz electric buses with mint green bumpers and stripes stand out. They are equipped with solid-state batteries based on lithium iron phosphate with a total capacity of 378 kWh, which are free of nickel, manganese, and cobalt.

This allows for a "very good range of sometimes more than 300 km in everyday operation while still returning to the depot with a safe residual capacity of about 15%," according to the accompanying press release.

Heating and cooling are powered by an electric CO₂ heat pump. Charging can be done via two plug-in ports above the front axle on the right and at the rear. A total of 49 charging stations are being installed at twelve of the thirteen operational sites. The electricity used comes 100% from renewable energy sources.

Traveling Safely and Comfortably

The comprehensive safety equipment includes the active preventive brake assistant Preventive Brake Assist, the turning assistant Sideguard Assist, and a reversing camera. The driving behavior assistant Eco Driver Feedback supports economical driving behavior.

The eCitaros are comfortably seated with Inter Star Eco seats of their own make, featuring two-point seat belts. The seats in the front section of the bus are mounted on pedestals, and the interior walls are clad with needle fleece. WLAN and USB sockets complete the equipment.

The driving personnel benefits, among other things, from a climate-controlled and heated seat or an electrically adjustable interior mirror. A partition screen over the entire width of the cabin door protects against infections.

VLP avails itself of services from Omniplus On. The deployment planning and complex depot management were developed in close collaboration with experts from Daimler Buses’ cooperation partner IVU.

The Ludwigsburg-Parchim district and VLP, in addition to their rapidly expanding e-bus fleet, also hold a leading position with their transportation services among the sparsely populated districts in Germany. The range of transport services, together with a comprehensive on-demand bus service, has more than sextupled in recent years – resulting in an hourly service 365 days a year for all stops in rural areas.