MAN Lion’s City E roadshow is to cross European borders towards Morocco (in early 2023)

The MAN Lion’s City E continued to tour Europe in 2021, and now targets Morocco, where it is expected to ‘dock’ in early 2023.

While the all-electric city bus was still touring 15 European countries in 2020, by 2021 it was already touring 20 countries.

20 countries to be ‘touched’ this year

This year, MAN electric buses will once again be rolling through around 20 countries. At the beginning of 2023, the Lion’s City E will then go on tour outside Europe for the first time. It will be presented to customers, drivers and journalists in Fés, Kenitra, Marrakesh and Safi in Morocco. Test drives are also on the agenda.

In Germany alone, the MAN Lion’s City E covered around 12,000 kilometers during its roadshow from June to October, stopping at 175 locations and delighting almost 300 customers. Also on tour for the first time last year was the all-electric Lion’s City 18 E articulated bus, which went into series production in April 2021 – and was on the line almost simultaneously in Cologne and Barcelona.

Also being put through its paces is the Lion’s City 12 E, which has been in use since February 2022 in the inner Alpine high valley of Engadin in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. Even the journey from Chur to St. Moritz was a challenge. In snow and ice, the e-bus drove over the Julier Pass.

“Even the highest point of the Julier, which is 2284 meters above sea level, was reached by our electric bus without any problems despite the difficult weather, road and therefore driving conditions,” says Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, adding, “The eBus will be integrated by Bus und Service AG into its vehicle fleet for over a year. During this time, it can continue to demonstrate how reliable it is on the road at all times.” The all-electric city bus will be used in the topographically challenging Upper Engadine, during rush hours or at night as well as in the inner-city regular service of the city of Chur and the surrounding area. BuS AG decided on the test deployment because it is committed to the greatest possible reduction of pollutant and noise emissions in local public transport.

Rudi Kuchta: ready for the third round of the roadshow

“In 2022, the roadshow will enter what is now the third round. We want to give even more customers and transport operators the opportunity to test our all-electric bus. We want them to experience live how fascinating electric mobility can be,” says Kuchta. He adds: “The special thing: We are not ‘just’ on the road in Europe, but will also be making a side trip to Morocco at the beginning of 2023. This will make our MAN Lion’s City E one of the first European eBuses in Africa.”

“Thanks to its convincing range, the MAN Lion’s City E mastered even long distances without any problems,” said Kuchta. On the ground, the MAN Lion’s City E presented itself with its comprehensive eMobility concept at numerous transport companies as well as at trade fairs and events. For example, it captivated visitors at the VDV electric bus conference and trade fair ElekBu in Berlin, at the AMTU & ATUC Congress in Spain, at TRANSPOTEC in Milan in Italy, at the International Fair of Public Transport TRANSEXPO in Kielce in Poland, and at the Transport Fair in Denmark. “In total, we reached – or rather literally electrified – more than 1,000 customers in the 20 countries. The response to our eBus was simply overwhelming,” says Rudi Kuchta.