Turkish OEM to build Mercedes-Benz city bus

Daimler Buses announced it is expanding its production capacity through a cooperation agreement with Turkish bus manufacturer Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş. (Otakar). Starting in September 2026, Otokar will produce the conventionally powered Mercedes-Benz Conecto city bus for Daimler Buses at its plant in Sakarya, Türkiye.

Mercedes-Benz Conecto. (Photo: Daimler Buses)

The contract manufacturing arrangement is based on the strong demand for its Mercedes-Benz and Setra brand buses. Up to this point, the Mercedes-Benz Conecto has been exclusively manufactured at Daimler Buses’ Turkish plant in Hoşdere

The Conecto is a low-floor bus designed for high passenger capacity in urban transit. It is available as a three-door solo bus and a four-door articulated bus. The fully low-floor design enables level entry and exiting.

Daimler Buses will supply Otokar with all major vehicle components and specific production equipment. The Conecto will be manufactured at Otokar’s plant, with a dedicated Daimler Buses team on site to support its production. The agreement also includes expert-led training sessions conducted by Daimler Buses for Otokar employees involved in the production process.

“The ongoing strong demand for our products shows that buses are becoming increasingly important to society and that we are offering our customers the right solutions,” said Till Oberwörder, CEO of Daimler Buses. “Otokar is a highly respected and reliable partner in our industry with strong manufacturing expertise. Working closely together, we will ensure the high quality standards our customers expect from Daimler Buses. We look forward to this partnership.”

Aykut Özüner, CEO of Otokar, added: “We have extensive experience in bus manufacturing, both as a manufacturer and as a contract producer, and have been successfully building high-quality buses for over 60 years. The partnership with Daimler Buses is a significant step for us to further in expanding our production, ensuring the most effective use of our production capacity and strengthening our position as one of the top five bus manufacturers in Europe.”