Press Kit: MAN at Busworld 2019

MAN Truck & Bus at Busworld Europe 2019: Driving the Future

At this year’s Busworld in Brussels, MAN Truck & Bus is exhibiting a broad portfolio of city and intercity buses, coaches and minibuses, with buses from both the MAN and NEOPLAN brands. The company's premières include the Lion’s City 19, the Lion’s Intercity with a D15 engine, and the eTGE Combi and TGE City minibuses. Offered to the public for test-driving for the first time is the all-electric MAN Lion’s City E.

• Even more efficient and environmentally friendly: MAN city buses with diesel, natural gas and electric drives
• New 18.75-metre-long Lion’s City model appeals to operators as a cost-efficient solution
• MAN Lion’s Intercity with ultra-modern driveline
• Enhanced driver and turning assistance systems for all MAN and NEOPLAN models available from 2020
• NEOPLAN movingART is “On tour with the World of Hans Zimmer – A Symphonic Celebration”
• Two new minibuses première at Busworld
• Information about comprehensive consultations with MAN Transport Solutions and MAN services

The lifestyle of the human race is changing from the ground up. These days, mobility has to be social, future-looking, ecological and economical. Buses play an important part in helping everyone to tackle the challenges relating to emissions, traffic volume and affordable mobility – whether in city, intercity or long-haul transportation. The vehicles of today also have to be able to meet the mobility requirements of tomorrow. In this regard, MAN Truck & Bus can provide the right solutions for a variety of purposes with its MAN and NEOPLAN buses, and the company will be showcasing a selection at the Busworld Europe 2019 trade fair in Brussels.

MAN Lion’s City: ready for the future of urban transport

The answer to the current questions around urban mobility is the MAN Lion’s City. With its new generation of city buses, MAN can offer efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for urban transport – tailored to the individual needs of every customer and to meet market requirements. At the trade fair in Brussels, MAN will be exhibiting a 12-metre solo version of its all-electric Lion’s City E, which comes with 35 seats. The e-bus completes this new generation of city buses – also available with diesel, natural gas and hybrid propulsion – with its emissions-free drive. Its inimitable design elements highlight the unique quality of the electric drive, which visitors to Busworld can now experience for the first time live in the outside area. The most obvious differences are the absence of the engine tower, the position of the batteries on the roof and the 4 additional seating places that this creates in the rear. In the solo bus, the all-electric driveline can produce an output of between 160 kW and a maximum of 270 kW. As a result, the Lion’s City E can be relied upon to provide a range of 200 km, or up to 270 km in good conditions, across the entire service life of the batteries.

To be exhibited by MAN for the very first time is the Lion’s City 19 EfficientHybrid – the new conventional brother within the family of city buses. The bus spans 18.75 metres in length and sees MAN growing its new generation of scheduled-service buses with an appealingly cost-efficient solution for inner-city transportation. In the three-axle trade fair display vehicle, there is space to seat 38 passengers – four more than in a Lions City 18 with a similar configuration. A highly efficient D1556 LOH diesel engine with 360 hp (265 kW) powers the vehicle and, like all internal combustion engines presented by MAN, meets the Euro 6d emissions standard that takes effect from 1 September 2019. If equipped with MAN EfficientHybrid, the bus becomes an even more economical and environmentally friendly solution. The stop-start function ensures that the vehicle is also near silent and emissions-free when it stops.

The exhibited Lion’s City 19 will also set new standards in terms of safety. As an effective measure to prevent accidents caused by the blind spot, the articulated bus has an active turning assistance system with pedestrian detection, which MAN will present as a trade-fair first in Brussels. Cameras on both the front and the two sides of the vehicle monitor the traffic automatically, which helps take the pressure off the driver. The driver is actively alerted to prevent potential hazard situations or collisions, both visually, via two in-built displays in the driver’s field of vision, and acoustically, via a warning signal. The system warns against potential collisions in both the front area and when turning. Furthermore, the new driver and turning assistance systems improve safety, as they are reliable at detecting pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists in the blind spot and actively alert the driver to hazardous situations. The new systems are to be made available in the coming year for all MAN buses ex works and as a retrofit solution.

MAN Lion’s Intercity: now with D15 engine and MAN TipMatic Coach

With the Lion's Intercity, MAN will be exhibiting the ideal solution for intercity and school bus transportation. Boasting up to 53 “Intercity Lite” seats, the bus on show will have plenty of room for passengers. Beyond its outstanding spaciousness, the Lion’s Intercity now impresses with an even more powerful and comfortable drive. At Busworld, MAN will be presenting the intercity bus for the first time with a new D1556 LOH engine – the vehicle on show will have 360 hp (265 kW). The highly efficient 9-litre engine – which is available for the Lion’s Intercity alongside the tried-and-tested D08 – comes with 280, 330 and 360 hp power levels. Furthermore, MAN is expanding its gearbox portfolio for its intercity bus with the automated 12-speed gearbox from the new MAN TipMatic Coach generation. The new gearbox features, which were presented at the IAA, include improved moving-off and an improved gearbox control unit with MAN's proprietary gearshift strategy. As a result, the Lion’s Intercity will take to the roads with deliveries from spring 2020 with an ultra-modern driveline – meaning it will be able to service the multifarious intercity transportation requirements even more efficiently. Practical equipment options, such as the convenient service sets that will be showcased at Busworld, will open up even more possibilities for customers to adapt the vehicle exactly to their intended use.

Cost-efficient, reliable and popular: MAN Lion’s Coach

Rounding off MAN’s exhibits at the trade fair stand will be an MAN Lion’s Coach – a veritable champion amongst coaches, providing travel safety and comfort for top teams such as FC Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and, since this spring, the German national team, as well. Visitors to the stand will be treated to a long-distance model of the Lion’s Coach C, 13 metres in length and with 48 seats, a lift and two wheelchair spaces. The two-axle vehicle on show will combine maximum cost efficiency with a large luggage compartment. The coach is powered by an incredibly efficient 470 hp (346 kW) D2676 LOH engine, with a maximum torque of 2,400 Nm. The bus also has the 12-speed gearbox MAN TipMatic Coach.

NEOPLAN: exclusive travel combined with innovative safety

The Tourliner L on show will give visitors a glimpse into the world of NEOPLAN. And what a sight it will be! This year, two NEOPLAN Tourliners are on tour with “The World of Hans Zimmer”, transporting fantastic music to the whole of Europe. With their unique movingART design, the tour buses and bus on show at the trade fair will be turning heads left and right. Both the bus and musicians will also delight visitors to Busworld with exclusive staging. A notable aspect of the exterior design on the Tourliner display vehicle is the optimised position of the B-pillar, giving front-row passengers a better view. Inside, NEOPLAN has conceived an innovative office-like space, thus demonstrating the perfect way of combining comfortable travel with efficient working. Passengers will be guaranteed an exclusive travel experience thanks to the 2+1 VIP seating and warm ambient lighting. And the office infrastructure, complete with on-board WiFi, 230-volt and USB sockets, and two tables with seats facing each other, offers a relaxing space to work in when travelling. Overall, this unique interior design by the Bus Modification Center provides a luxurious working environment for 35 passengers. The Tourliner is powered by an ultra-modern D26 engine, with 470 hp (346 kW) and a maximum torque of 2,400 Nm, and an automated MAN TipMatic Coach gearbox.

Another bus that perfectly meets the demand for exclusivity and relaxation whilst travelling is the NEOPLAN Skyliner – also on display. At the trade fair, visitors will be treated to a passenger-friendly version of the luxurious double-decker coach, with the front steps on the right side of the vehicle. This optimises the flow of passengers and increases the seating capacity. The double-decker has room to provide a comfortable space for 76 passengers on one of the new generation of Exclussivo seats. New service sets with integrated ambient lighting and an exclusive but equally practical kitchenette on the lower deck (separately installed by the specialists at the Bus Modification Center in Plauen) will round off the unique travel experience in the NEOPLAN Skyliner display vehicle. To ensure a pleasant ride, the coach comes with a 510 hp (375 kW) D2676 LOH diesel engine with a maximum torque of 2,600 Nm, the 12-speed automated MAN TipMatic Coach gearbox and electronically controlled shock absorbers (CDS).

The Skyliner coach on show at the fair will also impress when it comes to safety, with innovative solutions. The double-decker comes with OptiView, the first mirror replacement system for coaches, which celebrated its world première at the last IAA, and will be available for all NEOPLAN models from 2020. Cameras on both sides of the vehicle provide real-time imaging on two displays that are easy for the driver to see, and thus eliminate the blind spot. The camera technology used enables a high-resolution display of the surroundings, regardless of how much daylight there is. In contrast to the mirror, this also reduces the limitations caused by windows fogging up, dirt or sun glare. This increases safety and simultaneously reduces the probability of driving into something somewhere, thus decreasing overall repair costs. The new driver and turning assistance systems provide for additional safety in the NEOPLAN buses. MAN is also set to introduce these systems for its premium coaches ex works and as a retrofit solution from 2020. A turn assist system with active warning and pedestrian detection, a speed limitation display and automatic traffic sign recognition are setting new standards when it comes to safety and are making the travel experience even more convenient.

Two trade fair premières: MAN Truck & Bus expands minibus range

As well as the MAN TGE Intercity intended for intercity transportation, which premièred at the IAA 2018, MAN will be exhibiting two new minibus designs at Busworld: the MAN eTGE Combi and the MAN TGE City. The eTGE Combi is the first fully electrically powered minibus amongst MAN’s range of buses. The e-minibus is based on the series-produced MAN eTGE electric van and has been approved for a passenger capacity of up to eight people. Hence, this new minibus is particularly suited for inner-city transportation in low-emissions zones and in residential and health resort/healthcare areas where there is a focus on keeping noise to a minimum. To save space, the batteries of the fully electrically powered eTGE Combi are built in underneath the slightly raised floor. In theory, they should enable a range of up to 173 kilometres (NEDC), or 114 kilometres (WLTP).

The MAN TGE City, a further highlight at the trade fair stand, is also based on the TGE van. The low-floor platform with its city-friendly door concept, especially developed for the TGE City, can be equipped as needed with fold-up seats, wheelchair and pushchair spaces, standing places or fixed seating places. The slightly raised rear has additional seating places available. The large side windows provide all passengers with unhampered views. Additional optional features include destination displays on the front and side windows, a rear-view camera and a roof-mounted air-conditioning system.

MAN services, MAN Transport Solutions, MAN DigitalServices

Beyond the products, you can, of course, also learn about MAN’s extensive range of services at the MAN trade fair stand, such as maintenance management, repair services, Genuine parts and accessories and financial services. MAN will be dedicating an entire area to the challenges relating to the switch to e-mobility. The specialists from MAN Transport Solutions will provide bus fleet operators with comprehensive advice and suggest tailored solutions for operations, infrastructure, service and maintenance all around e-mobility. What is the exact energy requirement, where can the vehicle be charged, and using which method? The team at MAN Transport Solutions simulates routes and creates business cases and fully-fledged operating concepts. The aim is to offer the customer a customised transport solution with maximum economic value, and thus, provide them with the best support when they enter the e-mobility market.

With immediate effect, MAN and NEOPLAN customers will also benefit from the many advantages of digitalisation. From the autumn, new buses will be rolled out with a RIO Box as standard. In this way, MAN is providing the foundation for the use of MAN DigitalServices and RIO ex works. These support customers by providing an ever-increasing range of tailored digital services for MAN vehicles. MAN DigitalServices is designed to help keep track of and optimise all the cost factors that feed into the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) – starting with seamless trip planning through to maintenance management. The result for the bus customers: higher cost efficiency and reliability when it comes to fleet management.

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MAN Lion’s City E: the future is electrifying

MAN is rounding off its new city bus generation with the fully electric MAN Lion’s City E as an emissions-free variant, thereby presenting a future-proof overall concept for getting started with e-mobility.

• Innovative MAN all-electric bus with a reliable range of 200 km (and up to 270 km in favourable conditions) over the entire service life of the battery
• eBus demo fleet with 15 test vehicles in 5 European countries will be in use by customers from 2020
• Delivery of the first 12-metre customer vehicles from series production in the second half of 2020
• Fully electric Lion’s City articulated bus goes into series production in the first half of 2021
• Getting started with e-mobility: individual and holistic consultation with MAN Transport Solutions
• MAN Service is preparing itself for e-mobility

Since the adoption of the Clean Vehicle Directive by the European Union in June of this year, cities have had to prepare for emissions-free mobility of the future, today. We are now on the journey from “low emission” to “no emission”. According to the EU’s resolution, by 2025 public transport operators will be obligated to fulfil up to 45 percent of their requirement for new vehicles using low emission vehicles. In addition, half of these publicly procured low emission vehicles should actually be zero emission vehicles. In 2030, this quota will increase to 65 percent for low emission vehicles, half of which must also be zero emission vehicles.

MAN offers the right solution for these challenges, and will be showcasing a comprehensive and future-proof overall concept at Busworld 2019, in the form of the fully electric Lion’s City E. By combining holistic consultation, tailored mobility solutions and a reliable electric bus with proven cell and battery technology, MAN is able to make the move into e-mobility as easy as possible for transport companies, from 2020 onwards.

Lion’s City E: the battery-powered electric city bus by MAN

MAN introduced the fully electric version of the new MAN Lion’s City city bus at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018. It rounds off MAN’s new generation of city buses as an emissions-free variant, joining a line-up featuring diesel, gas and hybrid drives. Independent design elements emphasise the distinctiveness of the electric drive, with the most noticeable being the optimised seating area in the rear, resulting from the omission of the engine tower. The consistent placement of the batteries on the roof not only provides a solution located away from the rear area, which is at risk in the event of collisions, but also makes access for service work easier. The developers have systematically thought the concept through to the end, taking advantage of the freedom of design to create more amiable lighting conditions and up to four extra seats in the vehicle’s interior. The 12-metre version of the Lion’s City E can seat up to 88 passengers, whilst the 18-metre variant can accommodate a maximum of 120 passengers.

In regards to the drive for its eBus, MAN has placed a central motor on the rear axle, or in the case of an articulated bus, two central motors on the second and third axle. These are easier to access and feature a simpler design than motors which are located near the wheels – this is advantageous when it comes to maintenance work and the total cost of ownership (TCO). The articulated bus in particular also benefits when it comes to handling, as the two driven axles increase driving stability and therefore safety as well as the maximum energy recovery during braking manoeuvres. The fully electric driveline produces 160 kW to a maximum of 270 kW in the solobus, and 320 kW to a maximum of 540 kW in the articulated bus. The energy for this comes from the modular batteries with 480 kWh (solo) or 640 kWh (articulated bus) installed capacity. In this regard, MAN relies on the mature battery cell technology from the Group module kit. The sophisticated management of temperature ensures exceptional availability, regardless of the season. This allows the Lion’s City E to reliably ensure a range of 200 km (and up to 270 km in favourable conditions) over the entire service life of the batteries.

The batteries are charged at the depot via a Combined Charging System plug (CCS). At an average charging power of 100 kW, the solobus reaches full charge in under three hours, and the articulated bus can do so in under four – at maximum charging power of 150 kW, the charging time shortens accordingly. Surveying just under 200 customers from all over Europe and analysing feedback from multiple cities has led MAN to the conclusion that flexible and smooth-running vehicle deployment without the need to constantly charge up is more important than an unlimited range for future day-to-day work, especially given that battery technology is advancing at lightning speed. With this in mind, the Lion’s City E remains state of the art, as the vehicle concept is compatible with upgrades to the next battery generation. Charging outside of peak times also allows operators to make use of cheaper electricity tariffs with the help of intelligent charge management; this further contributes to the profitability of eBuses.

MAN e-mobility roadmap

As part of the e-mobility roadmap, in 2020 an eBus demo fleet, consisting of 15 test vehicles in customer deployment, will be in action in five European countries, where they will undergo multiple field trials in order to test their suitability for daily use. As part of this, MAN has entered into innovation partnerships with various operators – the Hamburger Hochbahn and Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) transport operators, the Stadtwerke München municipal utility and the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft transport company, as well as the Stadtwerke Wolfsburg municipal company and the Wolfsburger Verkehrs-GmbH transport company. MAN also agreed a partnership with the Luxembourgian company Voyages Emile Weber. Over the course of 2020, eBus test vehicles will also be driven on the streets of France as well as Antwerp, Cologne and Barcelona. MAN will be handing over the first eBus for a planned customer practical test later in 2019. The first customer vehicles from series production of the MAN Lion’s City E in the 12-metre solobus version, are then set to be delivered in the second half of 2020. The fully electric Lion’s City E in the articulated bus version will follow approximately six months later, and should go into series production in the first half of 2021.

Holistic consultation with MAN Transport Solutions

On the journey from “low emission” to “no emission”, transport companies face a range of challenges that go beyond the vehicle itself – an overall concept is required here. MAN relies on expert mobility consultation to ensure that customers receive maximum added value. MAN Transport Solutions promises bus fleet operators a holistic consultancy approach, as well as individual recommendations for solutions for operations, infrastructure, service and maintenance related to e-mobility. What does the concrete energy requirement look like? Where can what be charged, and how? The qualified experts at MAN Transport Solutions simulate routes and create business cases and entire operating concepts. They strive to create tailored transport solutions offering utmost cost efficiency for the customer, thereby making the move into e-mobility as easy as possible.

MAN Service is preparing itself for e-mobility

As an integrated member of the new MAN Lion’s City family, the eBus fits right into operating processes, and the transport company benefits from the MAN service network as usual. As part of the e-mobility roadmap, MAN has now begun to tailor service and maintenance for the e-vehicles in line with the new requirements. There are already 42 MAN service outlets in Europe which meet the standards for electric vehicles, with the plan being to increase this to up to 270 workshops in the long term. Here, the company is concentrating mainly on urban areas in 13 core European markets. In doing so, MAN is facing one of the greatest capital expenditures in its workshops that has ever been made.

In addition to construction measures and the need to equip the workshops with special tools and relevant spare parts, a safety officer will be appointed in order to fulfil the legally specified occupational health and safety guidelines, as the high-voltage technology with 800 volts calls for an entirely new approach to occupational health and safety. Additionally, all employees will receive training. Individuals who are regularly in the working area of e-vehicles must obtain the basic qualifications. High-voltage technicians hold the next level of qualification; they acquire the skills for handling components and are then able to carry out simple repairs on vehicles with high-voltage (HV) systems. HV experts – those who have undergone the third level of the qualification offer – have the skills to work on batteries which are still live – for example in the event of faulty lines after an accident.

In addition to training employees, MAN is modernising and expanding its workshops in order to accommodate the new requirements. This is because the workshops require charging stations, which maintain the charge level of the battery, ensuring that it does not continue draining. Quarantine areas outside of the workshop for storing damaged batteries are also necessary. New batteries in the MAN logistics chain allow MAN Service experts to act quickly, as required. This is due to the fact that the batteries, which weigh up to 400 kilogrammes, arrive via ship or road haulage, and therefore have long delivery times.

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MAN Lion’s City: ready for the urban transport of the future

Today’s city buses, for the urban mobility of tomorrow. The new MAN Lion’s City series offers future-proof solutions for the challenges in local public transport. With state-of-the-art diesel and gas engines, the new MAN EfficientHybrid as well as the fully electric MAN Lion’s City E, the entire range of cleaner and more efficient drives has been made available. Different length variants mean the MAN Lion’s City is ready for every application.

• Series production of the new city bus series has been running at the Polish plant in Starachowice since May
• Even more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly: MAN city buses with diesel, natural gas or hybrid drive
• MAN EfficientHybrid allows for stop-start function
• Diesel and gas version in new 18.75-m length variant
• MAN Lion’s City E: the future is electrifying
• New bus design language impresses at the iF Design Award and the Red Dot Design Award

The volume of traffic in cities is growing. The world of urban transportation is changing and in the process, politicians, city planners and transport operators are facing increasingly large and complex challenges. Future-proof solutions are needed here, especially when it comes to passenger transport. The MAN Lion’s City is the answer to the pressing questions posed by these challenges. MAN is offering efficient and climate-friendly mobility solutions for urban transport with its new generation of city buses; they are also tailored to the requirements of the individual customer and demands of the market.

“Our new generation of city buses means MAN is ready for the future! The new MAN Lion’s City is a comprehensive vehicle concept for different drive types, featuring new diesel and gas engines, which when combined with the MAN EfficientHybrid module, can become even more cost efficient and environmentally friendly. These new city buses have been successfully rolling off the series production assembly lines since the beginning of May,” said Rudi Kuchta, Head of Product & Sales Bus and Speaker Business Area Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. “We consistently designed the new city bus based on the requirements of future technologies right from the first design sketches. It was also based on the fully electric drive which we introduced with the MAN Lion’s City E at the IAA 2018, and which we are now showcasing at Busworld in Brussels. We will be delivering our first eBus to customers in 2019.”

Diesel version even more efficient with D15 engine and EfficientHybrid

With a clear focus on cost efficiency, driving comfort, technology and design, the developers of the new generation of city buses took on the task of setting new standards for all components. The diesel version’s new driveline also embodies this with a new, lighter D1556 LOH engine that already meets the Euro 6d emissions standard, which comes into effect from 1 September 2019. The highly efficient 9-litre engine is available in the power levels 280, 330 and 360 hp, perfectly covering the typical application fields of city buses. The internal combustion engine can also optionally be supplemented with MAN EfficientHybrid, a system that significantly reduces fuel consumption and emissions. In doing so, the standard stop-start function of the MAN EfficientHybrid ensures extremely quiet and emissions-free stop phases at bus stops and traffic lights.

In the overall concept of the new MAN Lion’s City, consumption is lowered by up to 16 percent thanks to the combination of the D15 engine, the MAN EfficientHybrid module and the weight reduction of the city bus. This, of course, has a positive effect on the life cycle costs, which was a significant focal point during the development of the new vehicle generation from the very beginning. A newly developed door system, increased service intervals, improved accessibility and the integration of low-maintenance components, combined with the aforementioned savings effect for the fuel consumption, lead to a reduction of up to 8 percent in the life cycle costs (LCC).

MAN Lion’s City G continues the success story for gas drives

As the market and technology leader in the gas-driven city bus segment in Europe, MAN has expanded its city bus range with a gas variant. The MAN Lion’s City G features an entirely redeveloped E18 engine series. Compared to the previous model, the gas engine offers a higher level of torque at a lower displacement, making it more powerful and yet more compact at the same time. Just like the diesel variant, the MAN Lion’s City G is also available with MAN EfficientHybrid. Particularly when combined with the optional hybrid solution, this results in an environmentally friendly vehicle offering utmost cost efficiency for city environments. A vehicle which fits into existing work processes without limitations and with a considerable fuel consumption reduction compared to the previous model, thereby setting new standards. If the operator uses biogas in addition, the gas-fuelled bus represents the most economical and environmentally sound solution for a virtually CO₂-neutral form of public transport. An overall concept which impresses – as demonstrated by the awards won by the MAN Lion’s City G in the innovation award from the German gas sector (Innovationspreis der deutschen Gaswirtschaft) 2018 and the international busplaner sustainability award (Internationaler busplaner Nachhaltigkeitspreis) 2019.

Diesel, gas and hybrid version in new 18.75-m length variant

In addition to the 12-metre solobus and the 18-metre articulated bus which have already been introduced, MAN will be presenting the MAN Lion’s City 19 for the first time at Busworld in Brussels. MAN is expanding the new city bus generation by adding an economically attractive solution for inner-city traffic, in the form of this 18.75-metre-long variant. The standard configuration which features 49 passenger seats provides operators with 4 more seats than the 18-metre articulated bus (45 passenger seats). The Lion’s City 19 therefore offers customers an efficient and practical solution to cope with increasing passenger volumes and the resulting need for greater capacities in public transport. The MAN Lion’s City 19 is available both with diesel as well as gas drive and can optionally be combined with MAN EfficientHybrid. The first customer vehicles are set to be delivered in the third quarter of 2020.

MAN Lion’s City E: the future is electrifying

The fully electric MAN Lion’s City E rounds off MAN’s new generation of city buses, as the emission-free variant. Independent design elements emphasise the distinctiveness of the electric drive, with the most noticeable of these being the omission of the engine tower, the placement of the batteries on the roof, and the resulting additional seats in the rear. The fully electric driveline produces 160 kW to a maximum of 270 kW in the solobus, and 320 kW to a maximum of 540 kW in the articulated bus. This allows the Lion’s City E to reliably ensure a range of 200 km (and up to 270 km in favourable conditions) over the entire service life of the batteries. As part of the e-mobility roadmap, in 2020 an eBus demo fleet, consisting of 15 test vehicles in customer deployment, will be in action in five European countries, where they will undergo multiple field trials in order to test their suitability for daily use. The first customer vehicles of the MAN Lion’s City E in the 12-metre solobus version will then be delivered in the second half of 2020. The fully electric Lion’s City E in the articulated bus version will follow approximately six months later, and should go into series production in the first half of 2021.

New city bus generation with award-winning design

The new MAN Lion’s City series combines a clear focus on efficiency, comfort and ergonomics with the new MAN bus design language. In addition to its striking headlights with LED strips as daytime driving lights and its characteristic black MAN front panel with a chrome element, the downward-extending glass side line immediately catches the eye and gives the bus a sleek and dynamic look. Another unmistakeable feature is the characteristic black rear with its innovatively designed LED rear lights. The fact that the MAN Lion’s City cuts a very fine figure with its new design language, has been demonstrated time and again. The city bus impressed the jury in the world-renowned Red Dot Award design contest, and was awarded the “Red Dot Award Product Design 2019” in the “Vehicles” category. The high-quality, attractive appearance of the MAN Lion’s City had previously caught the jury’s eye at the “iF Design Awards”, and the iF Design Award 2019 trophy for the “Automobiles/Vehicles/Bikes” category marks the fourth time in a row that a bus by MAN Truck & Bus has won. “So far, no other bus manufacturer has managed this,” said a delighted Rudi Kuchta, Head of Product & Sales Bus and Speaker Business Area Bus. “The design awards for our new MAN Lion’s City are a fantastic acknowledgement of the many years of dedication shown by the entire team. It spans several departments and has worked tirelessly to produce outstanding results – and its success is clear to see.”

MAN has recognised the signs of the times, and by offering different variants of the Lion’s City, offers a suitable all-rounder for public transportation, helping operators to make their daily business processes easier. In doing so, the entirely redeveloped city bus generation is consistently proving itself to be an efficient ally.

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MAN Truck & Bus expands minibus range

In addition to the MAN TGE Intercity for overland transport, which was debuted at the IAA 2018, MAN Truck & Bus will be showcasing two new minibus models at Busworld 2019 in Brussels: the fully electric MAN eTGE Combi and the MAN TGE City.

• Two new minibuses at Busworld 2019
• Fully electric MAN eTGE Combi minibus and MAN TGE City low-floor minibus for urban transport
• MAN TGE 4x4 Intercity with electronically controlled all-wheel drive

MAN Truck & Bus will be showcasing an expanded minibus range at the Busworld 2019 trade fair in Brussels. Whereas the MAN TGE 4x4 Intercity is suitable for shuttle services, excursions, transporting hotel guests and even as a multi-purpose vehicle, the new electrically powered MAN eTGE Combi and new MAN TGE City have been designed for inner-city passenger transportation in particular. All three fully-fledged minibuses were created by modifying the design of the TGE van.

Whether it's for transporting small groups, travelling in suburban or rural areas, or during low-usage times of the day: minibuses are being used ever more frequently as an addition or an alternative to the traditional 12-metre bus. When passenger numbers are low, this class of vehicle offers the same degree of driving comfort – at considerably lower acquisition and operating costs. Based on the design of the MAN TGE van, MAN Truck & Bus now has three different minibus models in their range.

World première: all-electric MAN eTGE Combi minibus

The MAN eTGE Combi is MAN Truck & Bus’s first fully electric-driven minibus in its range of buses. Its is based on the series-produced MAN eTGE electric van and, as an M1-class vehicle, has been (purposefully) designed to carry up to eight passengers. Hence, this new minibus is particularly suited for inner-city transportation in low-emissions zones and in residential and health resort/health care areas where there is a focus on keeping noise to a minimum. The standard version of the MAN eTGE has eight passenger seats. As the seats are fixed using airline-style rails, the seating layout is extremely flexible and you have the option of adding a wheelchair lift in the rear. All of the seats have three-point seatbelts and electric seat heating – a very effective and efficient source of heat, given the direct contact with the seat.

To save space, the batteries of the fully electric-driven MAN eTGE Combi minibus are located underneath the slightly raised floor. In theory, they should last for a range of up to 173 kilometres according to NEDC, and 114 kilometres according to WLTP. The vehicle is charged using a 7.2-kilowatt AC wallbox, which takes around five-and-a-half hours. The bus can also be charged more quickly – from zero to 80 percent within 45 minutes – if you have access to a DC charging station with a Combined Charging System (CCS) and 40 kilowatts of charging power.

A permanently activated synchronous motor is used for the drive system in the MAN eTGE. The three-phase motor is mounted right at the front on the drive axle in combination with the single-speed gearbox. This provides a maximum of 100 kilowatts of power, delivering around 50 kilowatts in continuous operation. The vehicle’s immediately available 290 Nm of torque ensures agile handling. In addition to a locally emission-free drive, the new MAN eTGE Combi boasts a whole host of on-board safety technology: parking assistance systems including side protection, multi-function camera, rear-view camera, cruise control system, maximum speed limitation, a surroundings monitoring system with city emergency braking function, and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) advanced emergency braking system.

Flexible all-round talent: MAN TGE 4x4 Intercity

MAN Truck & Bus developed the MAN TGE Intercity minibus specifically for overland transportation and for the public transportation network in rural areas. The company will be exhibiting this variant – complete with an automatically selectable all-wheel drive – at Busworld 2019. Boasting up to 13 passenger seats, this vehicle was a successful participant in this year’s Minibus Euro Test 2019 from the international “Bus & Coach of the Year Jury”. In addition to a very flexible seating layout, which includes the option for wheelchair spaces and a lift in the rear, the 6.84-metre-long minibus, with M2 approval, impresses with its manoeuvrability and outstanding level of safety features.

Whereas the driver and co-driver climb in using the series-standard driver’s or co-driver’s door, passengers enter the passenger area via the electric-driven sliding door on the co-driver's side. There is an electrically extendable step unit that makes accessing this area easier. Inside, passengers are greeted by a cosy atmosphere with individual seats, which all have three-point seatbelts and adjustable backrests. The seats are fixed to the floor using airline-style rails, which means you can adjust the distance between the seats and also remove individual seats to make room for up to three wheelchair spaces. The airline-style rails are also ideal for securing the wheelchairs into place. You can even remove all of the seats without any major effort. In this way, the MAN TGE 4x4 Intercity is also ideal as a multi-purpose vehicle; for example, after operation as a school or commuter bus in the morning, it can be transformed quickly into a van for the transportation of goods. A series-standard air conditioning system ensures that the inside temperature is pleasant at all times. To add to the comfort of all the passengers, there are also USB charging ports in the side walls and additional speakers.

A 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine with 130 kW (177 hp) and a maximum torque of 410 Nm, combined with an eight-gear automatic gearbox, drives the MAN TGE 4x4 Intercity. When required, an additional, electric-driven multi-disc clutch on the rear axle switches the wheels on the rear axle continuously from zero to 100 percent, thus enabling safe driving, even on rough terrain.

In general, the safety features are some of the new minibus’ great strengths. In addition to the series-standard Emergency Brake Assist and the multi-collision brake, the MAN 4x4 Intercity, as with all MAN minibuses, can be equipped with up to 20 different assistance systems. These include, amongst other systems, the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), hill-start assistant, parking assistant, active lane guard system, traffic sign recognition, side protection assistance or rear-view camera.

New minibus for urban transport: MAN TGE City

MAN Truck & Bus will be showcasing another newcomer at Busworld 2019: a new minibus for inner-city transportation. The base vehicle of the MAN TGE City is also modelled on the TGE van. The low-floor platform with its city-friendly door concept, especially developed for the TGE City, can be equipped flexibly with fold-up seats, wheelchair and pushchair spaces, standing places or fixed seats. The slightly raised rear has additional seats available. The large side windows provide all passengers with unobstructed views. Additional optional features include destination displays on the front and side windows, a rear-view camera and a roof-mounted air-conditioning system.

Also for small vehicles: MAN Service and MAN DigitalServices

When it comes to maintenance and service, even minibus customers benefit from the professional MAN Service: it is renowned for (amongst other things) providing worry-free assistance, even without workshop appointments, fast help in emergencies, even at the weekend and at night, and its very long opening hours. Of course, service for the entire vehicle is just as much a focus as flexible repair and maintenance contracts. Warranty extensions and a 24-hour breakdown service round off the workshop services.

As with all other MAN vehicles, the new MAN minibuses can also benefit from the advantages that MAN DigitalServices provides. It supports customers by providing an ever-increasing range of digital services that are specifically tailored to MAN vehicles, and which help to keep track of and optimise all the cost factors that feed into the TCO (total cost of ownership) – starting with seamless trip planning through to maintenance management.

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Cutting-edge technology for top athletes

They are true champions – the football players from FC Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Sport Lisboa e Benfica. These players, like many other German and international top athletes from countless sports disciplines, travel to their home and away games in the comfort and safety of MAN and NEOPLAN team buses. It’s winners all round.

• Numerous clubs that ride aboard the MAN and NEOPLAN team buses are champions in 2019
• Sports sponsorship: long-term commitment from MAN Truck & Bus
• Whether football, handball, ice hockey or basketball: MAN and NEOPLAN team buses popular with top teams

Arrive fully relaxed and then give the game your all: this is what more and more top clubs from all over Europe rely on, and travel in a team bus supplied by MAN Truck & Bus – with a track record of success. Countless teams that journey in an MAN Lion’s Coach or NEOPLAN coach, seized the national championship title for themselves this year – including FC Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Young Boys Bern. “But it’s not just football clubs that rely on our safe and comfortable coaches. Handball, basketball and ice hockey players have been travelling to home and away games in these coaches for a long time now, as well,” explains Rudi Kuchta, Head of Product & Sales Bus and Speaker Business Area Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. These include the Adler Mannheim – the 2019 German ice hockey champions – and the basketball players from FC Bayern Munich, who won the 2019 German championship title in the BBL final.

“As well as factors such as efficiency and safety, the matters of comfort and customisation play a significant role when clubs choose their team buses,” says Rudi, and adds: “Thanks to our long-standing international experience, we can provide the clubs with exactly the right vehicles to leave no requirement unmet.” As the high-quality buses are being produced in the modern coach plant in Ankara, the experts at the Bus Modification Center in Plauen are bringing exclusive custom-made versions to life – such as in the case of the MAN Lion’s Coach L, which MAN, as the sponsor, presented to FC Bayern Munich at the end of 2018.

The seat covers with the bespoke FCB design, the LED ambient lighting in the team colours, a starry sky for the stars to relax under and two logo projectors on the vehicle doors all indicate upon first glance that this is where record-holding champions are at home. And that’s not all. All 32 of the leather passenger seats are equipped with adjustable head rests, and there are four height-adjustable vis-à-vis tables, providing room for discussions with the trainer and support staff. The coach also comes with a powerful multimedia system for entertainment. And even the exclusive kitchen at the rear is sure to impress with its many additional features, including a microwave and steam oven, three fridges, sink and a fully automatic coffee machine.

“The team buses are the place where the athletes can recuperate and gather their strength, particularly in the case of away games. That is why it is extremely important that the vehicles have a safe and quiet operation, as well as well thought-out solutions and a generous interior,” emphasises Rudi Kuchta. And this is the reason why the MAN Lion’s Coach C – in which the German national team have been travelling since spring – has also been extensively kitted out, leaving nothing to be desired. What’s more, the DFB (German Football Association) team’s 500 hp (368 kW) MAN Lion’s Coach is equipped with several assistance systems, such as the Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), the Lane Guard System (LGS), the Electronic Stability Program (ESP), a rain-light sensor, the MAN AttentionGuard and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

MAN Truck & Bus has been involved in sports for several years now, this year included – as the official partner of the 26th Handball World Championship. "When it comes to team sports, it's almost impossible not to come across team coaches that have been provided by MAN. Sponsoring clubs and societies is one of our established brand communication strategies and helps lend emotion to our product brands and to give them a clear position in the market,” asserts Hartmut Sander, who, as Vice President for Corporate Communications at MAN Truck & Bus, is in charge of sport sponsorships.

In total, MAN Truck & Bus sponsors six football Bundesliga clubs and one basketball team in Germany. As well as FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and VfL Wolfsburg, the teams from Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hamburger SV and FC Augsburg, and the Bundesliga players from FC Bayern Munich Basketball also travel in an MAN team bus. Above and beyond this, MAN is a partner of the reigning French football champions, Paris Saint-Germain, and of FC Basel 1893. Furthermore, the German national football team has recently been taking to the roads in an exclusively kitted-out MAN Lion’s Coach. MAN provided the new team bus as the official bus partner of the DFB.

In addition to Sport Lisboa e Benfica, FC Porto, Hannover 96 and Bayer 04 Leverkusen, several other clubs also commissioned their team bus from MAN Truck & Bus – and now travel from match to match in their MAN Lion’s Coach, NEOPLAN Skyliner or NEOPLAN Cityliner. And not infrequently from one win to the next.

Further information about MAN’s collaborations with Bundesliga clubs can be found at: www.manschaftsbus.de

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NEOPLAN movingArt on tour with Hans Zimmer

They are on a special mission: two new NEOPLAN Tourliners are bringing fantastic music to the whole of Europe. Just as extraordinary are the design and interior fittings of the buses that MAN Truck & Bus has provided for “The World of Hans Zimmer” tour.

• MAN Truck & Bus is “On tour with the World of Hans Zimmer”
• Artwork on wheels: exclusive design of the NEOPLAN Tourliner turns heads
• Musicians travel in safety and comfort thanks to extensive fittings

The NEOPLAN movingART campaign is entering round two: at the start of 2019, following the Tape Art project with the Berliner KlebeBande group, MAN Truck & Bus embarked on a special concert journey, as did 60 orchestral musicians and 16 choristers. To date, the two NEOPLAN Tourliners with the musicians on board have covered 32,566 kilometres across Europe; the second part of the tour starts in November. In the meantime, the buses and artists are delighting visitors at the Busworld trade fair in Brussels.

NEOPLAN movingART Music is accompanying “The World of Hans Zimmer – A Symphonic Celebration” tour. Over the course of two months, the musicians have travelled through more than 20 cities so far, from Hamburg and Munich, to Krakow, London, Dublin, Paris, Lisbon and Barcelona. During this time, their home has been two customised NEOPLAN Tourliners, provided exclusively for the tour by MAN Truck & Bus.

Wherever the two buses go, they draw attention. The unusual and creative design on the side walls gives you the immediate impression of witnessing something extraordinary. In the centre you’ll see the lettering “THE WORLD OF HANS ZIMMER” – a defining name in itself. “There is good reason why Hans Zimmer is one of the most renowned and influential film composers of our time,” states Jan Aichinger, Head of Product Marketing Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. Some of the many pieces composed by this multiple Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe winner include the soundtracks for numerous blockbusters such as “The Lion King”, “Gladiator” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”. The lettering is nestled in between vertical golden lines, which bring to mind the vibration frequencies of musical notes. “The vast and expressive white and gold design symbolises the power of music. It marks its beauty and clarity and represents the positive vibrations of the movingART music tour,” explains Jan Aichinger.

In addition to the vehicles’ exclusive exterior design, another particularly arresting highlight is the extensive and bespoke interior fittings. In this way, the buses are like a second home for the musicians – a place where they can retreat to and unwind. For an atmosphere of well-being is an elementary prerequisite, if the artists are to deliver an excellent musical performance in their many concerts. That’s why MAN Truck & Bus designed the interior of the 2-axle NEOPLAN Tourliner with soft, adjustable leather seats, reading lights, curtains, air conditioning, an exclusively equipped on-board kitchen and a modern infotainment system.

About the tour: Hans Zimmer is delighting fans throughout the whole of Europe with his live show “The World of Hans Zimmer – A Symphonic Celebration” and is presenting his work as an orchestration for the very first time – performed by musicians from the Belarusian Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and the Belarusian Radio and Television Choir. Lisa Gerrard’s voice, full of character, is captivating audiences time and again. In 2001, she became the first female artist to receive a Golden Globe – for her collaboration with Hans Zimmer on the Gladiator soundtrack.

In March and April this year, the musicians completed the first part of the tour. And it continues from November to mid December later this year: during this stage, the exceptional musicians will enchant crowds with their performances in places such as Milan, Amsterdam and Stockholm. Travelling with the 60 orchestral musicians and 16 choristers on board the 12-meter and 13-metre long NEOPLAN Tourliners are: 2 flutes, 1 oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 6 horns, 2 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, percussion, 10 first violins, 8 second violins, 4 violas, 11 cellos and 4 double basses. “NEOPLAN has always stood for design and exclusivity. That’s why we brought the NEOPLAN movingArt project to life. Having the opportunity to now transport art in our artistically designed buses is a great experience for us, as well,” summarises Jan Aichinger.

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A moving story: 100 years of bus construction in Plauen

Bus construction and the town of Plauen have been tightly interwoven for a century. Thousands of buses have been produced, repaired and restored here. Thanks to pioneering technical and customised solutions, the plant has always been graced with an excellent reputation – and that is still the case today: the experts at the MAN Bus Modification Center have been implementing custom-made enhancements in Plauen since 2015.

• MAN Truck & Bus celebrating special anniversary in 2019: 100 years of bus construction in Plauen
• Generations of vehicle manufacturers stand for innovative vehicles and progressive concepts
• In 2015, MAN took up Bus Modification Center operations

The words “not possible” do not exist in Plauen. Whether a club bus, VIP bus, disco bus, double-decker tour bus with 20 upper-deck beds, roadshow vehicles or exclusive special fittings for football buses – the experts at the MAN Bus Modification Center fashion vehicles according to customised specifications. Each one is unique. “Even unusual customer requests are implemented here on site thanks to an exclusive manufacturing process, creative ideas, customised solutions and enhancements,” explains Heinz Kiess, Head of Sales & Marketing at the Bus Modification Center. These days in Plauen, on an area that spans more than 60,000 m², 147 employees and 18 trainees implement special requests in the enhancement of buses and vans.

The buses that emerge from Plauen have always been exceptional. Looking back over its 100-year existence, the site has a moving story to tell, with many highs, but also lows. “However, in all those years, one thing hasn’t changed: from the outset of the bus building business, the workers in Plauen have had an especially open-minded and creative approach to progressive concepts,” asserts Heinz. In 1919, VOMAG (Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik AG – a German machine factory), founded in 1895, began building the first bus chassis in Plauen, in the place where in 1881 an embroidery machine manufacturing business took up operations. From 1898, VOMAG started producing printing machines, as well. “It became world famous in both branches. To this day, the city is renowned for its ‘Plauen lace’,” recounts Bernd Goerke from the VOMAG society and a former MAN employee. Then in 1915, the factory also started producing trucks: the 1,000th truck revved its way out of the plant doors as early as September 1918.

Bus construction in Plauen

The historic bus plant is where chassis for customised service buses, intercity buses and coaches used to be made. “Even back then, it was widely known that the factory implemented specific customer requests, as well. Outstanding results and pioneering technical solutions – especially when it came to buses – ensured that VOMAG was able to hold its own in the automotive engineering industry for a long time, even though it never brought masses of units to the market,” explains Bernd. For example, the first German low-frame bus, the Type O II Riesa, as well as the first 4-axle long-distance models used on motorways, were born in Plauen. In 1928, the VOMAG engineers experimented with the front-wheel drive for buses – a technology that later re-emerged in the NEOPLAN airport apron buses. What’s more, in 1938, VOMAG developed the most powerful single-engined bus that had ever been built to date. A record held until 1972. The speedy 2-axle vehicle, with its 300 hp and semi-automatic gearbox, was way ahead of its time.

When the company took up the manufacturing of tanks, it was making a momentous decision. The plant was destroyed during air raids in March 1945, and in 1946, the Soviet occupying forces liquidated anything that was left. To cover the huge demand for vehicles during the post-war period – as new vehicles were very hard to come by – existing trucks and buses belonging to any brand were systematically restored. Over the course of 1954, a bus repair plant was built in the last remaining hall of the former VOMAG. This is where until 1991 specialists from Plauen repaired predominantly Hungarian IKARUS buses, carried out special requests and, in this way, gained an excellent reputation in the industry. This formed an essential basis for the cooperation with AUWÄRTER GmbH & Co KG in 1990 and, with this, the founding of NEOPLAN Omnibus GmbH Plauen on 5 December 1991. From this point forward, the plant began manufacturing NEOPLAN Transliners, MIC (metroliners in carbon design), Euroliners, airport buses, Cityliners, Jetliners, Starliners and Skyliners – before in 2001, with MAN Truck & Bus’ takeover of NEOPLAN Omnibus GmbH, the plant was restructured and the employees started producing MAN-branded special-purpose vehicles, such as double-decker service buses for Dubai and Berlin.

Founding of the Bus Modification Center

Finally, in 2015, the Bus Modification Center successfully started up operations. In 2018 alone, the modification experts enhanced and modified 148 buses and 276 vans. “Due to the almost unlimited array of individualisation possibilities in our highly specialised manufacturing process, we can meet a customer’s every wish. Our spectrum of services spans from municipal bodywork for our MAN TGE transporters through to highly bespoke team buses for top European clubs, and recently for the national German football team, as well,” states Heinz Kiess, and adds: “It was a huge pleasure for us that, at the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the bus construction industry in Plauen in April, we were able to show so many people what the team here is capable of. But also how the site has developed over the last century – after all, the competence of our team is based largely on this extensive experience, and thereby on continuously advancing progress and innovation and meeting every customer wish with skill and passion.”

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MAN expands BusTopService throughout Europe

BusTopService is a service provided by MAN Truck & Bus for all MAN and NEOPLAN buses, specifically tailored to the requirements of bus customers. From autumn 2019, the BusTopService network will encompass around 100 qualified bus workshops in Europe. Bus-specific workshop equipment, specially trained MAN bus specialists and a quick supply of spare parts ensure that particularly short service and repair times are provided.

• Now around 100 workshops with MAN BusTopService in Europe
• Specially trained employees for better service
• Most important spare parts available locally
• Range of services spans from 24-hour emergency service through to body work and bus cleaning

Whether for coach travel, long-distance transportation or scheduled-service operation: high availability and short downtimes during servicing or repairs are crucial factors when it comes to the profitability of a bus. That is why MAN is continuously expanding its After Sales service portfolio for buses. These days, bus customers of the MAN and NEOPLAN brands can already rely on a 24-hour emergency service, seven days a week, 365 days a year, with the help of MAN Mobile24.

Noteworthy service commitments included in the MAN Services offering are a two-year warranty on all repairs carried out in any MAN service outlets, which also covers any MAN Genuine parts, MAN Genuine parts ecoline and MAN Genuine accessories installed as part of the repair. Furthermore, repair and maintenance contracts specifically tailored to the requirements of the bus operators ensure fixed, calculable operating costs for the entire vehicle service life.

MAN BusTopService customers can expect to receive a particularly good, fast and comprehensive service. Workshops offering this top service have at least two experts who have completed an additional qualification in MAN and NEOPLAN bus models, have a spare parts warehouse in which the most common spare bus parts are always available, and have the facilities for emptying the toilets, topping up the water and cleaning the inside and outside of the bus. What’s more, all of the BusTopService workshops offer a 24-hour breakdown service and provide service and repair work for the drive, running gear (including tyre service), heating and air conditioning systems, electrical system, windows, body and paintwork. If required, the MAN BusTopService also provides a pick-up and delivery service, a replacement bus (if available) and assistance in finding overnight accommodation options for the driver and passengers.

MAN is currently expanding its BusTopService European network tremendously. From autumn 2019, around 100 specially qualified bus workshops will be listed in the MAN Dealership Search database. In addition to existing and upgraded offerings in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland, there will be new MAN BusTopService sites available in Spain, Denmark, Italy and Belgium, amongst others. This means that MAN Truck & Bus will be able to offer its customers one of the largest and most extensive networks of specialised bus service outlets in Europe.

Bus customers of the MAN and NEOPLAN brands will benefit from an expanded MAN BusTopService network in many ways: starting with the expanded services offered at the qualified bus workshops and increased vehicle availability in the event of servicing or repair being required, through to cleaning and disposal possibilities both near your site and along the routes in most regions in Europe. The MAN BusTopService offerings and expertise are likewise available for scheduled-service buses and coaches.

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Maximum mobility with MAN Uptime Guarantee for coaches

If the need should ever arise, the MAN Uptime Guarantee for MAN and NEOPLAN coaches ensures flexible Europe-wide mobility. Bus customers benefit from the best possible availability of their vehicle, as well as financial security if financial losses are incurred.

• MAN Uptime Guarantee simplifies daily vehicle use and helps to optimise costs
• Mobility all over Europe: service is 31 European countries
• Term of 24 to 60 months possible

Be it a day trip or a holiday – the main concern of travel organisers is that their guests arrive at their destination in a safe, comfortable and reliable manner. “And our goal is to make our customers’ business as easy as possible. This is why we now also offer an MAN Uptime Guarantee for MAN and NEOPLAN coaches. This allows us to ensure reliable operational readiness for buses and coaches all over Europe,” said Hardy Hiller, Head of After Sales Bus. In the event of a technical breakdown, the vehicle is attended to directly on site, and can ideally continue the journey immediately; if this is not possible, the bus is safely taken to the nearest MAN service outlet. “Our service network is well-developed with 1,300 service outlets all over Europe. This is why travel and waiting periods are as short as possible.” Specially trained employees and quick supply of spare parts also guarantee very short service and repair times. An additional advantage is that many of the workshops also provide assistance outside regular opening hours in the event of emergencies.

“With MAN and NEOPLAN coaches, drivers and passengers always arrive at their destination safely and reliably. We fully stand by the quality of our products and services, which is why we offer the MAN Uptime Guarantee. We are also the first company to do so in the coach sector,” said Jan Aichinger, Head of Product Marketing Bus.

The MAN Uptime Guarantee also provides financial security whereby the costs for the on-the-spot breakdown service, towing to the nearest MAN service outlet, as well as compensation for vehicle unavailability, are assumed – if the vehicle cannot be completely repaired on the same day. Customers have the option to choose between a term of 24, 36, 48 or 60 months, up to a mileage of a million kilometres. The mobility guarantee can be exclusively concluded in conjunction with the MAN “Comfort”, “ComfortPlus” or “ComfortSuper” service contracts.

The new mobility guarantee offers bus customers of the MAN or NEOPLAN brands a holistic solution for managing their fleet. “The MAN Uptime Guarantee simplifies the working day of the bus companies and helps to optimise costs,” explained Hardy Hiller. “It also ensures more profitability and efficiency by lowering risk and increasing availability. The latter in particular is vital for a high level of customer satisfaction and a good public image for the company.”

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New MAN DigitalServices making life easier for bus companies

New digital services are now available from MAN Truck & Bus, providing transparency around vehicle usage and making fleet management easier. These services rely on the RIO Box, which has been installed as a standard feature in all MAN and NEOPLAN buses and coaches since October 2019.

• Eight MAN and RIO services now available in EU countries, Norway and Switzerland
• Taking operational efficiency to the next level: providing relevant vehicle data allows companies to optimise operating costs over time
• Additional digital bus and coach services planned

The thoughtful son wants to pick his parents up from their ten-day coach trip and hopes the operator can tell him when the coach is expected back. The dispatcher is keen to have a quick overview of drivers’ driving time and rest periods. The fleet manager wants tachograph and driver card data to download automatically. MAN DigitalServices now has the solution to these and many other problems.

MAN is making its customers’ day-to-day operations easier with its new digital services for vehicles and drivers, as well as reducing vehicles’ total cost of ownership (TCO) with proactive maintenance management and performance analytics. MAN DigitalServices offers digital services custom-tailored to the architecture of MAN and NEOPLAN vehicles.

The new MAN DigitalServices are made possible by the RIO Box, whose capabilities include transferring data from the vehicle to the RIO platform. As of October 2019, this state-of-the-art on-board connectivity module now comes as standard in all MAN and NEOPLAN coaches, intercity buses and city buses for the 28 EU member states, along with Norway and Switzerland. Like MAN, RIO is a subsidiary of the publicly listed TRATON Group. It focuses on providing digital services for the logistics and transportation industries. Along with MAN’s digital services, which are tailored to MAN and NEOPLAN buses and coaches, bus companies can also get started with the digital offering by taking advantage of two RIO services. It’s quick and easy to order any of the digital services in the Marketplace – the RIO platform’s online shop – after registering on the platform.

The following eight services are available to start with: MAN Essentials, MAN Advance, RIO Geo, MAN ServiceCare, MAN Maintenance, MAN Compliant, RIO Timed and the Pocket Fleet app. Customers have free access to MAN Essentials, MAN ServiceCare and the Pocket Fleet app. All the paid services can be cancelled at any time. As a result, customers have a risk-free way to test out the services and can add or remove them individually on the RIO platform as and when each vehicle requires.

A one-by-one look at the services on offer:

MAN Essentials

This is the free basic service available to all customers. All they need to do is register on the RIO platform and activate their vehicles. MAN Essentials provides basic information about each vehicle, such as its location, remaining driving time, CO₂ emissions, fuel economy, average fuel consumption, driving and stationary periods. It is a useful tool for fleet monitoring and management. The current vehicle location is updated every 15 minutes and data from the last 10 days can be viewed.

MAN Advance

This digital service is based on the MAN Essentials offering. But there is one striking difference: an extended 25 months of data history is available, meaning MAN Advance can be used to analyse trends within a given fleet.

RIO Geo

RIO Geo is an expanded version of the MAN Essentials fleet monitor that gives customers a detailed, minute-by-minute overview of their vehicles’ current locations. It also provides further information such as drivers’ remaining driving time as well as longer data storage. The route history displays important results, including the first and last locations, ignition on/off, geofence entry and exit, and changes of driver.

MAN ServiceCare

With MAN ServiceCare, the MAN workshop added by the customer proactively takes over maintenance management on the customer’s behalf. In addition, the customer can view their vehicles’ service status online at any time. As a result, MAN ServiceCare can also show aggregated status messages for each vehicle, ensuring higher vehicle availability by bundling maintenance appointments.

MAN Maintenance

If the vehicle is equipped with tyre pressure monitoring (TPM), customers can use MAN Maintenance to pull up brake lining status data, filling levels and tyre pressure levels on the RIO platform. In addition, customers can check up on any legally required inspections that are due (e.g. safety checks, environmental sustainability tests) and fleet managers can access an overview of their vehicles’ service status. Data is updated on a daily basis.

MAN Compliant

This digital service allows customers to archive, download and export tachograph and driver card data, meaning they can fully automate the process of meeting their legal requirements. Manual data downloads from vehicles are no longer necessary, giving customers the advantage of saving a huge amount of time. MAN Compliant protects bus companies from losing their data and allows them to access their downloads at any time.

RIO Timed

This digital service gives dispatchers a complete overview of their drivers’ current driving time and rest periods. It shows all the driver’s activities such as driving, resting, taking breaks, readiness and work status. Minute-by-minute. What’s more, dispatchers can see a reader-friendly breakdown of each driver’s driving time by day, week and fortnight. RIO Timed simplifies dispatchers’ work, making it easier to schedule routes more efficiently – all without expensive driving time violations.

Pocket Fleet app

The Pocket Fleet app is the mobile, digital cockpit for bus companies. It displays all their vehicles’ locations, along with detailed information such as drivers’ remaining driving time until their next break, current speeds and filling levels. As a result, fleet managers are always able to keep tabs on their fleet. The Pocket Fleet app requires an Android smartphone (version 5.0 or later) or iPhone (iOS 11 or later) and an Internet connection.

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MAN Truck & Bus company profile

MAN Truck & Bus is one of Europe’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers and transport solution providers. The company, now a subsidiary of TRATON SE, began to build its first trucks and buses over 100 years ago. In 2018, MAN Truck & Bus had more than 36,000 employees worldwide, sold 100,000 vehicles and generated a revenue of €11 billion. The company’s product portfolio includes vans, trucks, buses, coaches, diesel and gas engines along with services related to passenger and cargo transport.

Innovations: e-mobility, autonomous driving and digital transformation

MAN is committed today to the advances of tomorrow. There are now nine all-electric distribution trucks, for instance, that have been used by customers in Austria since 2018. In 2020, a demo fleet of 15 MAN Lion’s City E city buses is due to be tested for its suitability in everyday driving situations in partnership with customers in five European countries. Plus, the first mass-produced, 12-metre-long customer vehicles will be delivered in the second half of 2020. The battery electric version of the MAN TGE van has been available to customers as a production model since late 2018. MAN relies on expert mobility consultation to ensure that customers receive maximum added value. MAN Transport Solutions promises bus and truck fleet operators a full-service consultancy approach, as well as recommending individual solutions for operations, infrastructure, service and maintenance related to e-mobility.

Seeking to improve automated driving, MAN joined forces with DB Schenker in May 2019 and successfully completed a truck platooning project. This three-year-long project – a global first – involved two connected trucks running in convoy on Germany’s A9 motorway. The first truck dictated the speed and direction, while the second followed automatically just 15 metres or so behind.

MAN is evolving from a commercial vehicle manufacturer into a provider of intelligent and sustainable transport solutions. Under the brand name MAN DigitalServices, MAN has begun offering its customers digital solutions custom-tailored to MAN trucks, buses, coaches and vans. These services are aimed at providing transparency around vehicle usage while making customers’ day-to-day work easier across the board. As a result, customers will have access to their vehicle data in real time, wherever the vehicle may be. On that basis, recommendations can then be made based on the vehicle and the customer’s needs.

MAN: a full-range supplier

With the introduction of the MAN TGE van in autumn 2016, MAN expanded its product range and is now a full-range supplier, covering all weight classes. The products range from the vans with a gross weight of 3.0 to 5.5 tonnes, through trucks with a gross weight of 7.49 to 44 tonnes, to heavy special-purpose vehicles with a gross train weight of up to 250 tonnes. The company also produces city buses, intercity buses, coaches and bus chassis for the MAN brand, along with luxury coaches for the NEOPLAN brand. The product portfolio also includes industrial engines for marine, on-road and off-road applications and a comprehensive range of transport-related services. In Germany, the company runs production facilities in Munich and Nuremberg, and has a component manufacturing and logistics site in Salzgitter. In addition, it fulfils specific customer requests at its Truck Modification Centres in Wittlich, Steyr and Munich and its Bus Modification Centre in Plauen. It also has further manufacturing plants in Steyr (Austria), Saint Petersburg (Russia), and Starachowice and Krakow (Poland). Further afield, it operates production facilities in Ankara (Turkey) and the South African towns of Olifantsfontein and Pinetown.

Broad range of trucks

The MAN truck selection ranges from the TGL (7.49 to 12 tonnes) through the medium-duty TGM series (12 to 26 tonnes) to the TGS and TGX series with gross vehicle weights of 18 to 44 tonnes. The TGS is a series of robust trucks with a permitted gross vehicle weight of 18 to 41 tonnes designed for export markets – specifically, Russia, Asia and Africa. MAN produces heavy-duty trucks in Munich, Krakow, Saint Petersburg and Pinetown, while the light and medium-duty series are manufactured in Steyr.

MAN and NEOPLAN buses and coaches

The products available from the MAN and NEOPLAN brands include coaches, intercity buses, city buses, minibuses and bus chassis. The diversified MAN range of city buses, intercity buses, minibuses and coaches is primarily geared towards companies focused on operating efficiency. With its exclusive coaches, NEOPLAN caters primarily to customers wishing to turn their VIP passengers’ journey into a luxurious travel experience. MAN and NEOPLAN coaches are produced in Ankara, while the plant in Starachowice turns out city buses and bus chassis.

Efficient engines from MAN Truck & Bus

MAN Truck & Bus develops and produces common rail diesel engines that are installed in MAN trucks as well as in MAN and NEOPLAN buses and coaches. Other manufacturers also fit MAN engines in their commercial vehicles, construction and agricultural machinery, rolling stock, yachts and working vessels. Nuremberg (Germany) is the development hub and production facility for MAN engines. In addition to diesel engines, MAN Truck & Bus also supplies engines powered by natural gas. This makes MAN the European market leader for city buses powered by natural gas – and the German market leader for gas engines for cogeneration. MAN is conducting in-depth research into engine technologies aimed at sustainably reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Constant increases in efficiency underscore MAN’s impressive expertise in the diesel engine sector. Furthermore, the company is devoting close attention to hybrid technology for commercial vehicles. MAN has sold around 800 Lion’s City Hybrid models since handing its first hybrid bus over to a customer in 2010. A growing number of metropolitan areas are opting for this clean and efficient solution for navigating urban core traffic. The new generation of city buses with MAN EfficientHybrid is now taking the success story to the next level.

Extensive portfolio of services

MAN Truck & Bus provides a flexible range of services to customers. Whether you are interested in service and repair contracts, fleet management, driver training or financing solutions, MAN combines top-notch technology with services tailored to the user’s needs. MAN and NEOPLAN customers have worldwide access to over 1,750 centres for service, vehicle maintenance and repair. MAN Mobile24 guarantees reliable assistance in the event of breakdown – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Production facilities

Germany

• Munich: Corporate headquarters, heavy trucks, cabs, driven axles
• Nuremberg: Engines
• Salzgitter: Non-driven axles and components

International

• Steyr, Austria: Light and medium-duty trucks
• Krakow, Poland: Heavy-duty trucks
• Saint Petersburg, Russia: Heavy-duty trucks
• Starachowice, Poland: City buses and city bus chassis
• Ankara, Turkey: City buses and coaches (including premium coaches)
• Olifantsfontein, South Africa: Buses
• Pinetown, South Africa: Truck and bus chassis