On the road to zero emissions
MAN is accelerating the switch to eMobility and has already produced more than 1,000 eBuses. The next model year brings increased efficiency, greater range and improved safety.
More than 1,000 eBuses produced already
MAN’s consistent electrification strategy and the expansion of the product portfolio is also reflected in unit numbers: the 1,000th fully electric city bus was produced in the Starachowice plant in Poland in mid-September, just three years after the start of series production. The Lion’s City 12 E was ordered by transport company Auto Periferia S.A., a subsidiary of Spain’s Grupo Ruiz, meaning passengers in the greater Madrid area will be carried to their destinations safely, comfortably and sustainably in the future. Grupo Ruiz already has 20 MAN eBuses in use, a figure that is set to rise to 60 vehicles by the end of 2023.
This Spanish customer is right on trend: more and more public transport operators are moving towards a completely emissions-free bus fleet and relying on fully electric vehicles such as the MAN Lion’s City E. So far, in Spain alone, more than 175 MAN eBuses have been ordered for cities such as Alicante, Badajoz, Bilbao, Cáceres, Leganés, Madrid, Málaga, Melilla, San Sebastián and Valencia. The majority of these will be delivered and starting work this year. “City buses that are emissions-free and quiet – like our eBus – are in particular demand in large cities,” reports Robert Katzer, Head of Bus Sales & Product at MAN Truck & Bus.
City buses that are emissions-free and quiet – like our eBus – are in particular demand in large cities “
Popular not only in Germany: The order books are also currently filling up with many orders from transport companies in Scandinavia. By the end of 2023, more than 370 MAN e-buses will be on the road in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Like the one here for Danish customer DOT.
One of the challenges for new e-bus customers is their own in-house charging infrastructure. Here, the experts at MAN Transport Solutions are happy to provide advice and support.
The economical, efficient, and visually extremely appealing Lion's City e-buses are also being seen more and more frequently in Germany. In big cities as well as in rural areas. Here, the Model 18 E is on the road on Sylt.
MAN Lion's City E buses are also on the road in Mainz. Here, they are lined up in the depot to charge up for the next round of service.
This MAN Lion's City 18 E looks particularly good against the picturesque backdrop of Tübingen's old town. Where noisy diesel buses used to nail their way across the bridge, the new e-bus now whispers quietly past the old half-timbered houses.
- Scandinavia leads the way
- Own charging infrastructure enormously important
- Even Sylt is electrified
- Charge once, please!
- On silent soles through Tübingen
2024 model year: new electronics platform
MAN is also working intensively to improve its eBuses. For instance, the 2024 model year will have a new electronics platform and a completely new cockpit in the Lion’s City E. At its heart is a central display with a 12-inch screen. It is completely digital and has a large, central notification area with layered information levels.
For even better safety, the Lion’s City E has new and enhanced assistance and safety systems – including radar-based turn assist on the right side where visibility is worse, providing visual warnings with clearly visible LED lights in the A-pillars. The CO2 air conditioning system, which is now fitted as standard, increases sustainability as well as offering further benefits: it is more environmentally friendly and also much more efficient, which can add up to an additional 25 km in range on the current Lion’s City E.
2025 model year: major product update for the Lion’s City E
The 2025 model year will bring the biggest product update since the launch of the Lion’s City E. “Our Lion’s City E is in constant development. Nevertheless, 2025 will see a significant leap forwards,” said Oktay. “All our innovations are consistently focused on achieving further impressive improvements to the efficiency and range of our eBuses.” The Lion’s City 12 E, significantly optimised in terms of weight and battery consumption, will be able to offer a range of 430 km under ideal conditions with five battery packs, and up to 500 km in the six battery pack variant.
The highlights of the 2025 model year include next-generation batteries using the latest lithium-ion battery technology. The batteries have an impressive capacity of up to 445 kWh for the MAN Lion’s City 10 E and up to 534 kWh for the MAN Lion’s City 12 E. The MAN Battery Packs will be mass produced from early 2025 at MAN’s own battery factory in Nuremberg. To make this possible, MAN is set to invest some €100 million over the next five years. The aim is to increase production capacity to more than 100,000 batteries per year. MAN’s intention is to establish the foundation for the industrialisation of electric drivetrains. Depending on the configuration, these should be enough to equip between 15,000 and 25,000 eBuses or eTrucks.
Text: Christian Buck / MAN
Photos: MAN
