National Express to trial Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric bus at London Stansted Airport. One-month trial will test sustainable battery-electric bus technology at the airport’s long-stay car park shuttle service
National Express is to trial a Mercedes-Benz eCitaro one-door electric bus on its airport car park shuttle service at London Stansted Airport, marking the operator’s first electric bus trial on this type of operation.
The one-month trial will see the battery-electric eCitaro replace the existing diesel Mercedes-Benz Citaro, which operates the landside passenger transfer service between the airport’s long-stay car park and terminal.
The existing vehicle travels an average of around 180 miles each day, providing a real-world test of the eCitaro’s ability to meet the demands of a high-mileage, high-frequency airport shuttle service, while supporting Stansted Airport’s wider sustainability goals.
The Mercedes-Benz eCitaro is a low-floor battery-electric city bus featuring electric traction, regenerative braking and a high-capacity battery system.
Powered with electricity from renewable sources at Stansted Airport, the trial will assess the vehicle’s operational performance in real-time, including energy consumption, charging requirements, reliability and availability, as well as passenger feedback.
Rafael Fernandez, Managing Director at National Express, said:
“We’re committed to exploring more sustainable ways of delivering passenger transport for our airport partners, and this trial is an important step in understanding where battery-electric technology can work effectively on a high-demand service pattern.
“Over the course of the trial we’ll be looking closely at the vehicle’s performance, energy use and charging requirements, alongside feedback from passengers and our operational teams. The findings will help us understand the practical considerations for introducing battery-electric vehicles in this particular operating environment.”
Nick Millar, Operations Director at London Stansted, said:
“We’re pleased to support this trial with National Express, which will help us better understand how battery-electric bus technology performs in a busy airport environment. The long-stay shuttle service is an ideal route to test the operational requirements of electric vehicles, and the insights gained will help inform future decisions as we continue working towards our net zero carbon ambitions.”
Mobico Group, the parent company of National Express, is committed to delivering more sustainable, accessible, and high-quality travel through its Climate Transition Plan, which includes an ambition for a net zero fleet across its businesses by 2040. The trial of the electric bus at Stansted Airport is one example of how National Express is working with its partners and clients to support that transition.
Following the trial, National Express and London Stansted Airport will analyse the results and use the findings to help inform their approach to the future deployment of battery-electric vehicles across its airport transport operations.
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