The leading automotive group, Man Truck & Bus handed its first Lion’s Explorer E bus, to one of its top customers, Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) in the Western Cape.
Despite that there are some electric buses currently operating in the country, what is unique about the MAN Lion’s Explorer 12E is that it is designed for local purposes and not imported as a derivative from an overseas product.
The electric commuter bus designed and built in South Africa is made to provide the best possible support to local public transport operators in day-to-day work.
The stakeholders revealed that the commuter was still in its test phase and official launch would be in 2024 with the first customer orders.
The unveiling of the new commuter was attended by various stakeholders including Francois Meyer – chief executive of Frontier Transport Holdings & Golden Arrow Bus Services and Jan Aichinger, managing director at MAN Truck & Bus South Africa.
Alexander Vlaskamp, chief executive of Man Truck & Bus was also in attendance alongside other esteemed guests.
Aichinger spoke about the ebus highlighting that the commuter was built to fulfil their customer needs.
“We have combined the best of two worlds to deliver the first electric commuter bus, designed and built in South Africa, fulfilling our customer needs, when transforming into an emission-free future.
“Our aim is to support our customers in their daily work in the best possible way – whether with tailor-made solutions, individual consulting services, or new technologies.
“We continue to build this new model entirely in South Africa. This, we believe, is the only way to provide custom-made products to the needs of our customers. We predict that emission-free buses will increase in South Africa, and it is for this reason that MAN is bringing the future now. Our goal is very clear: ‘Simplifying customer business through leading sustainable solutions!’” said Aichinger
The manufacturer said GABS, their valued customer, had a long-term strategy to transition its current fleet from internal combustion powertrains to electric buses.
“Aligned with similar strategies we built our very first high-floor battery electric vehicle yet, for GABS to begin an electrified commuter bus journey.”
The new MAN Lion's Explorer E is designed to drive change in the transformation of the automotive industry while successfully driving zero-emission mobility forward.
The fully electric bus exhibits proven MAN quality and is equipped with a future-proof modular battery system and a silent and maintenance-friendly electric motor.