MAN Truck & Bus will in future be offering an eBus chassis for the global market. This is based on proven technologies from the Lion's City E for which MAN already received orders for a total of over 1,000 buses from many European countries. With the new eBus chassis and MAN presents the basis for electric buses in international markets. First prototypes are to be delivered early 2023, series production is to start in 2024.
E-mobility is rapidly gaining momentum. MAN states that analysts expect demand for electric buses to continue to rise in the coming years. By 2040, sales of zero-emission buses are expected to rise to over 80 percent of the global market. "To meet this demand, we are now offering the MAN electric bus solution for international markets outside Europe with our eBus chassis, and giving bodybuilders from all over the world the basis for their fully electric models", says Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. "In addition,
we are relying on our long-standing partnerships and are working intensively with our global network of bodybuilders so that we can also serve markets in Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand." The eBus chassis will be produced at MAN's Polish plant in Starachowice, where the Lion's City E is also manufactured. As a first step, MAN will offer the eBus chassis as a two-axle version for use as a low-floor, low-entry and intercity bus (high floor) and it will become available as a left- and right-hand drive variant.
The e-chassis will be using components from the Lion's City E, like the electric central motor on the rear axle and battery technology from the Volkswagen Group. To meet the different requirements of international bus companies all over the world in terms of daily range, total mileage, and costs MAN will offer different battery technologies. In addition to the NMC technology (lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt battery) familiar from the Lion's City E, also LFP technology (lithium-ferrophosphate) batteries will become available.