Daimler Bus puts hydrogen Setra coach on the road for testing
Daimler Bus has begun road tests of its first hydrogen fuel cell touring coach, the “H₂ Coach”, as the company sets out its plans for zero-emission long-distance bus travel.
The prototype is based on the 13.9-metre Setra S 517 HD high-decker and is designed to demonstrate how fuel cell technology could complement battery-electric drivetrains in the long-distance coach segment.
Daimler Buses said it expects battery-electric coaches to arrive in its portfolio by the end of the decade, with fuel-cell coaches following in series production after that.
Borrowing tech from the GenH2 truck
Underneath, the H₂ Coach borrows key components from Daimler Truck’s Mercedes-Benz GenH2 fuel cell truck.
Two hydrogen tanks with a combined capacity of 46 kg feed a 300 kW fuel cell stack supplied by cellcentric – the Daimler-Volvo Group joint venture aiming to become a leading fuel cell manufacturer.
Electric drive comes from a centrally mounted motor with 320 kW continuous power (400 kW peak) and up to 2,470 Nm of torque. A battery pack provides additional power support when needed and allows the fuel cell to run at optimal efficiency.
The result is a claimed minimum range of 800 km on a full tank – enough for long-distance touring – with the advantage of short refuelling times compared to battery charging.
Approved for public road testing
The converted S 517 HD tips the scales at up to 24.7 tonnes gross vehicle weight and Daimler says has been approved as a test vehicle under German road traffic regulations. Daimler Buses will carry out both proving-ground and public-road trials to validate the system.
With its near-silent drivetrain and zero tailpipe emissions, the firm said the coach has potential to improve air quality in tourist regions and cities, while providing the range and quick turnaround times operators expect from diesel coaches.
Neu-Ulm leads development
The H₂ Coach is being developed at Daimler Buses’ Neu-Ulm site – the company’s competence centre for coaches – where around 3,800 employees work across development, production, and central functions.
The H₂ Coach sits within Daimler Buses’ wider electrification roadmap, which follows the firm’s “dual strategy” of developing both battery-electric and hydrogen-based drivetrains.
Its battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro city bus has been in series production since 2018 and has offered a fuel cell range extender option since 2023. The fully electric eIntouro intercity bus will premiere at Busworld Europe in Brussels in October 2025, with orders already open.
