- MAN claims to be the first major European truck brand to launch a battery electric Coach.
- With a capacity of up to 536 kWh, the eCoach has a claimed driving range of up to 403 miles.
- It can charge at up to 375 kW, with a potential bump to 750 kW once the charging infrastructure is ready.
MAN, one of Volkswagen Group’s bus-making subsidiaries, is working on an all-electric coach that can do everything a diesel-powered coach can do. Called the MAN Lion’s Coach E, the fancy bus will feature a huge battery pack and an estimated driving range of up to 403 miles (650 kilometers) on a full charge.
The vehicle isn’t quite ready for prime time yet. MAN states it will unveil its shiny new electric bus in October, while production is scheduled to begin next year at its factory in Ankara, Turkey. However, there are a few things we already know about the upcoming zero-emissions coach.
MAN Lion’s Coach E prototype
Photo by: MAN Truck & Bus
MAN said the snazzy bus will be powered by a battery pack with a capacity of 356 to 536 kilowatt-hours, while the 0.31 drag coefficient puts it on par with a compact SUV. The first version of the Lion’s Coach E to roll off the assembly line will be a compact three-axle vehicle with a maximum gross weight of 54,600 pounds (27.3 tons). Measuring 45.6 feet (19.3 meters) long, it will have room for up to 61 passengers and their luggage.
Charging a battery that’s over half a megawatt-hour in capacity can take a while, but MAN says that the coach’s maximum 375 kW rate, combined with the driver’s mandatory resting periods, makes it an ideal vehicle for shuttle services, works transport, and city trips.
The company didn’t say how much time it would take to fully charge the eCoach, but at a theoretical power input of 375 kW, roughly one hour would be needed for the 356 kWh pack, and nearly two hours for the larger, 536 kWh pack. Let’s not forget, however, that an EV’s charging curve isn’t flat, so these are just optimistic estimates.
After the first version of the Lion’s Coach E hits the streets next year as part of an early fleet, MAN will begin selling other variants of the electric coach.
This is MAN’s first electric coach, but it’s not its first electric vehicle. The German truck and bus maker has been selling a more pedestrian electric bus for urban and intercity use since 2019, as well as several battery-powered commercial trucks.
6
Source: MAN Truck & Bus
