First electric articulated bus from MAN goes into operation in Cologne
An 18m electric articulated MAN Lion’s City 18 E is now operating in Cologne on route 127, one of the longest lines in the KVB bus network. “It’s the very first fully-electric articulated bus we’ve delivered to a customer and it’s now showing what it can do on KVB scheduled services in Cologne,” says Rudi Kuchta, head of business unit bus, MAN Truck & Bus.
Stefanie Haaks, Chair of operator KVB, adds: “We have been pursuing a clear strategy of reducing emissions as far as possible. That is why e-mobility is for us the future. We are therefore very delighted about being the first transportation company to use the MAN Lion’s City 18 E on scheduled services and being able to experience the state-of-the-art electric bus.”
Another electric articulated bus will shortly be in operation in Barcelona, making it the second MAN Lion’s City 18 E to be delivered for scheduled services.
“The vehicles for Cologne and Barcelona are part of a field trial,” adds Kuchta. “Working together with transportation companies, we aim to gather extensive experience, which will then be used to continually improve our city buses.”
And this month, series production of MAN Lion’s City 18 E will start at its plant in Starachowice, Poland. The Lion’s City 12 E has been in series production there since October 2020.
The first batch of series-built electric artic buses will be going to Nuremberg in an order for VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft of 28 artics and 11 Lion’s City 12 Es.
A further order for the Lion’s City 18 E is for Gamla Uppsala Buss in Sweden which has ordered 12 in what will be the first electric buses in the city. Delivery is scheduled for May 2022. In addition, the framework agreement with Gamla Uppsala Buss includes an option for a further 65 MAN electric buses extending to 2023, including 45 Lion’s City 18 E and 20 Lion’s City 12 E buses.