AUTONEWS

Mercedes-Benz is starting to deliver the first 50 units of its new electrified model eO500U to urban transport companies in Brazil

Mercedes-Benz is starting to deliver the first 50 units of the eO500U, with a Caio Millennium body, to the companies Metrópole Paulista (40 units), MobiBrasil (8) and Sambaíba (2), operators of the public transport system in the city of São Paulo. Paul. The vehicles should enter into operation at the beginning of 2024. In other words, the series production of the brand's battery-powered electric bus chassis is already a reality on the production line of the Company's modern Factory 4.0 in São Bernardo do Campo, in ABC Paulista .

“These same companies intend to acquire a total of more than 500 e0500U buses, 180 units for Metrópole Paulista, 300 units for Sambaíba and 68 units for MobiBrasil”, says Walter Barbosa, director of Bus Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz do Brasil . “The Mercedes-Benz eO500U electric bus will be increasingly present on the roads and in the urban public transport system in the capital of São Paulo.”

“This significant volume of electric buses reaffirms the Company’s entry into the era of electromobility with commercial vehicles in the country”, says Achim Puchert, president of Mercedes-Benz do Brasil & CEO Latin America. “It is very significant that we begin this journey in São Paulo, the largest city in the country and in Latin America, which heavily uses buses in its public transport system. Just like the City Hall and our customers, we are also committed to seeking decarbonization solutions in transport, contributing to better air quality and environmental preservation.”

According to the president of Mercedes-Benz do Brasil, electric vehicles are synonymous with sustainable transport and are already part of the brand's global multi-solution portfolio for customers. “Now, our eO500U is also in this portfolio, being a protagonist for Daimler Buses in Brazil and Latin America. The benefits for society are unquestionable: zero carbon emissions, zero air pollution, completely silent and with lower costs throughout the vehicle's entire life cycle”, highlights Achim Puchert. “With this product, our Brazilian operation remains aligned with Daimler Truck’s global strategy of ESG practices, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable mobility and decarbonization.”

Product with the brand's quality and reliability for cities... “Our urban electric bus chassis will reach the market with the quality and reliability of the three-pointed star”, says Walter Barbosa, director of Mercedes Bus Sales and Marketing -Benz from Brazil. “Our strategic decision to present an electromobility solution primarily in urban buses was with the collective and the city scenario in mind. We have 67 years of experience in Brazil, always offering new technologies for transport.”

The eO500U chassis was developed by Mercedes-Benz do Brasil for the Brazilian and Latin American reality. The vehicle was extensively tested at the Iracemápolis Proving Ground (SP), on urban roads, and also in Germany, where it relied on Daimler Buses' expertise in electric buses.

In addition to the first deliveries in Brazil, Chile is the next country in the region to receive an eO500U unit for demonstration to customers, public transport managers and partners. This action is the result of a partnership with Comercial Kaufmann, local representative of the Mercedes-Benz brand, and with the bodybuilder Caio. In addition to serving Latin American countries, the new product will also be exported to other markets, such as Oceania.

eO500U is already accredited for Finame - Low Carbon... “Further reinforcing the commitment to sustainability, our electric urban bus chassis is already accredited with BNDES for financing via Finame - Low Carbon”, highlights Walter Barbosa. “BNDES is a strong ally of transport companies for financing buses and fleet renewal, which is even more relevant in the case of trams. This support is essential for Brazil to advance in the field of electromobility and decarbonization, which will bring benefits to the environment, air quality in cities and society as a whole.”

BNDES Finame – Baixo Carbono is a special line created to encourage machinery and equipment companies to adopt the electromobility solution in their fleets. For accreditation, the vehicle must meet the local content index required by BNDES. To achieve this content, the eO500U receives several elements produced by the Company in Brazil, such as the chassis structure, electrical items and batteries, supplied by BorgWarner and produced at its factory in Piracicaba (SP). Mercedes-Benz's accreditation also takes into account other factors, such as qualifying indices, investment in the country, qualification and specialization training, exports, labor and others.

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