Daimler Buses has conducted extreme cold-weather tests on its upcoming eIntouro electric intercity bus in the Arctic Circle, as the company prepares for the model’s 2026 market debut.
Two near-series Mercedes-Benz eIntouro buses were driven from Neu-Ulm, Germany, to Rovaniemi, Finland, covering a 3,000-kilometre journey in stages using publicly available charging infrastructure.
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The vehicles were tested in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius, with engineers evaluating battery performance, drivetrain resilience, and overall vehicle operability under severe winter conditions.
“Our extensive tests on the behaviour of the batteries and the electric drivetrain at extreme sub-zero temperatures and on the driving behaviour of the vehicles on slippery roads or in slush not only provided important findings for further optimisation. They also showed that the battery-powered eIntouro is fully operational even in wintry conditions,” said Martin Teigeler, Head of Product Engineering at Daimler Buses.
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The eIntouro, based on the diesel-powered Intouro high-floor bus, is designed to facilitate the transition to electromobility in intercity transport, school bus services, and short-distance travel.
The standard eIntouro will be 12.18 meters long, while an extended eIntouro M variant will measure 13.09 meters and offer seating for up to 63 passengers. Notably, the model will feature over-the-air software update capabilities, a first for a European bus, according to the manufacturer.
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The Arctic test follows Daimler Truck’s recent winter trials of its eActros 600 heavy-duty electric truck across Scandinavia, further advancing the company’s electrification strategy in commercial transport.