Sustainability done right: MAN launches its first electric coach

Shaping the future of mobility in a sustainable way: this vision has been driving MAN Truck & Bus for years. And it is increasingly becoming reality – because more than half of the company's city buses are already delivered with electric drives. In addition, more and more electric low-entry vehicles are hitting the roads. Now, the electrification of coach transport is also picking up speed, as MAN's first series-produced coach will be launched on the market in the near future. Its name: Lion's Coach E.

In May, selected customers and media representatives were given their first glimpse of the new product. At MAN's Product Development Centre, they were able to experience a prototype of the Lion's Coach E live on the test track. The guests were impressed by both the technology and the design of the electric coach.

Up to 650 kilometres range

The four to six battery packs in the eReisebus come from the MAN plant in Nuremberg and each store 89 kWh. This gives the vehicle a range of up to 650 kilometres. With a 45-minute stop for recharging within the statutory driving and rest times for drivers, even longer distances are possible. The preferred areas of application for the MAN Lion's Coach E are likely to be short and medium distances in the initial phase of its market launch. These may include shuttle services, factory transport and city trips, as well as exclusive tourism offers with growing sustainability requirements. The verdict of the bus professionals was clear: the Lion's Coach E can already cover a similar range of applications as a diesel bus.

The digital cockpit with its intuitive MAN SmartSelect operating concept also received a lot of praise from customers and journalists. Its operating concept, which is designed for maximum ergonomics, makes the driver's work noticeably easier: the digital instruments provide clear information about range, battery status and other parameters at all times. They also encourage the driver to drive efficiently in an almost playful way.

Production start in 2026

Nothing now stands in the way of a successful market launch for the Lion's Coach E. Preparations for production are therefore already in full swing at the Ankara plant. The new coach will be manufactured there from 2026 onwards, alongside the electric city and intercity buses of the Lion's City E family, production of which will begin in Ankara in mid-2025. ‘The realignment at the Ankara site is an important building block in MAN's transformation into a provider of sustainable transport solutions,’ emphasises Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus. ’That is why we have spent the last few months preparing production and employees in Ankara for the requirements of electric mobility and gradually converting the site to eMobility.’

With the expansion of its eBus portfolio, MAN is another step closer to an important goal: the company aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 at the latest. ‘To make the transition to climate-neutral mobility, we need to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and consistently bring our innovative eMobility technology onto the road,’ said Barbaros Oktay. ‘Electric drive is the most efficient form of propulsion on the road to locally emission-free mobility, because the technology is mature, has a very good energy and CO2 balance, and impresses with low energy costs.’ The Lion's Coach E will soon be able to prove this on the roads of Europe.

The MAN Lion's Coach E is the world's first fully electric coach from a major European manufacturer. Is the time ripe for a fully electric coach?

Yes, we are convinced it is. For one thing, the EU has set strict CO2 targets for heavy commercial vehicles. These are to reduce their average emissions by 43 percent by 2030. In order to meet these requirements and because we are pursuing a clear zero-emission strategy for all vehicles in our portfolio, we have long been focusing on the electrification of coach transport and decided early on to ramp up production with increasing numbers.

What have been the initial reactions of your customers?

We have been in close dialogue with a number of customers for two years now about the challenges posed by electrified coach transport and their requirements for our vehicle. It quickly became clear that there is great interest among companies in leading the way and adding electric coaches to their fleets. Their goal is the same as ours: to upgrade the coach and position it as a modern and sustainable vehicle.

What excites you personally about the MAN eCoach?

The driving experience! That's what it's all about for us; we want to offer our customers a noticeable change. Despite the state-of-the-art engines, you can still hear and feel a diesel engine. The electrically powered coach is so quiet, it's like it's floating. It was an incredible feeling when I got to drive the eCoach for the first time. You sit down in this big coach, step on the gas, feel this enormous power, but you don't hear the engine. It's really impressive. I'm convinced that the driving experience in the eCoach will also thrill drivers and passengers alike.