Mercedes-Benz supplies battery and fuel-cell buses to Ljubljana

Mercedes-Benz is bringing two different electric-drive concepts into Ljubljana’s public transport network. Municipal operator Ljubljanski Potniški Promet (LPP) has put 35 buses into service within a year: 25 battery-electric eCitaro models and ten articulated eCitaro G fuel cell buses.

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The mixed fleet allows the operator to match the vehicle technology to different route profiles. Battery-electric buses are primarily intended for urban services with predictable duty cycles and regular charging opportunities, while the fuel-cell models are used where higher range requirements or greater operational flexibility come into play.

The deployment represents the largest fleet modernisation project in LPP’s history.

Why combine battery-electric and fuel-cell buses?

Both variants ultimately rely on an electric drivetrain, but they differ in how electrical energy is supplied and stored.

The battery-electric eCitaro is designed for routes where daily mileage and charging periods can be planned comparatively precisely. The eCitaro G fuel cell combines a high-voltage battery with a hydrogen fuel cell that supplies additional electrical energy and extends the operating range.

This allows LPP to use battery-electric operation where the route and charging infrastructure permit it, while deploying fuel-cell buses on services with higher range requirements.

According to LPP CEO Dr Rok Vihar, the operator has built up a locally CO₂-free fleet based on both battery-electric and hydrogen technology over the past year. The combination is intended to provide a reliable basis for future public transport operations.

Charging and hydrogen infrastructure become part of the system

The transition involves more than replacing diesel buses. Alongside the new vehicles, LPP has installed the corresponding charging and hydrogen infrastructure and adapted its operating processes to both drivetrain concepts.

This is particularly relevant for electric bus fleets because vehicle technology, energy supply and scheduling are closely interconnected. Battery-electric operation depends on available charging power, charging windows and route planning. Fuel-cell buses add hydrogen supply and refuelling infrastructure to that equation.

Ljubljana is therefore operating two energy concepts within the same electric fleet rather than applying one drivetrain solution across the entire network.

Fuel cells extend the electric operating range

For Mercedes-Benz, the fuel cell in the eCitaro G is designed to extend the range of the electric bus. The vehicle remains electrically driven, while hydrogen provides an additional onboard energy source through the fuel-cell system.

The concept is aimed at applications where operators require more range or operational flexibility than a purely battery-electric configuration can offer without additional charging stops.

With the 35 vehicles now in service, LPP can compare both concepts under regular operating conditions within the same transport network. The project also provides a practical example of how battery-electric and fuel-cell technologies can cover different requirements within an electrified public transport fleet.

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