Hamburg, VHH places a follow-up order with MAN for 20 e-buses

With 17 MAN Lion’s City E in operation as of today, VHH Hamburg has taken the next step and has ordered a further batch of 20 battery-electric buses. The latest order will see the delivery of ten MAN Lion’s City 12 E and ten MAN Lion’s City 18 E buses. The solo and articulated buses are scheduled for delivery to VHH before the end of 2021.

At the end of 2019, transport company Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) gave MAN Truck & Bus its first sales success story in the electric bus market. This was a milestone for MAN, but also for VHH: It meant that the company was taking its first step in embracing the zero-emission mobility culture of tomorrow. All of the 17 MAN Lion’s City 12 E buses the company ordered are now in operation.

In early 2021, the operator awarded an e-bus tender to Irizar, MAN and Volvo. Being more specific, the order includes 20 MAN Lion’s City E (10 12-meter and 12 articulated buses), eight Irizar ie bus 12-meter and four articulated e-buses from Volvo (model 7900 EA).

VHH towards the goal of zero emissions

Ten of the MAN Lion’s City 12 E buses that have already been delivered are out on the road for VHH in Norderstedt. The company has set up the first VHH depot for electric vehicles in the state of Schleswig-Holstein for this very purpose. The depot has a total of twelve charging points, which are used for charging the e-buses overnight with green electricity.

The other seven e-buses are used primarily for taking passengers from A to B on the VHH lines in the east of Hamburg in a safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly manner. The vehicles are operated out of the depot in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg.

Dr Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG, Andreas Tostmann, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus SE, and Gunnar Kilian, Chief Human Resources Officer of Volkswagen AG and also responsible for the “Truck & Bus” division on the Group Executive Board, visited the depot in spring of this year. “We were also out and about in Hamburg to experience the Lion’s City E on one of its typical city routes – and to drive it ourselves! What got me excited? How quiet and comfortable the bus is, yet powerful at the same time and very easy to drive. Next stop: The future,” said Andreas Tostmann, in summary, following the visit.

“We are delighted with this follow-up order, as it clearly shows how satisfied VHH is with their electric buses and how outstandingly well the buses are coping with the city traffic of Hamburg and all the challenges that brings”, says Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus

Both articulated and solo e-buses for VHH Hamburg

As mentioned above, the latest order will see the delivery of ten MAN Lion’s City 12 E and ten MAN Lion’s City 18 E buses. The solo and articulated buses are scheduled for delivery to VHH before the end of 2021.

“VHH’s key objective is to establish an environmentally friendly, resource-saving and high-performance public transport system in the Hamburg metropolitan area. Innovative vehicles are a fundamental aspect of that,” reveals Toralf Müller, Managing Director of VHH. Since 2020, the transport company has procured only battery-powered buses with zero local emissions for the city of Hamburg in accordance with the Hamburg Senate’s requirements.

“E-mobility is the key technology when it comes to next-generation commercial transport. We are absolutely convinced of that. That’s why we are always working with our customers to press ahead with technological progress,” says Rudi Kuchta, who adds: “With the MAN Lion’s City E, we are already in a position to provide the fully electric solution for public transport. Operators can benefit from a comprehensive concept that brings together integral e-mobility consulting and customised, forward-looking mobility solutions.”