The Transport Show 2019 trade fair in Ljubljana ended with two success stories for MAN Truck & Bus. The “Transport & Logistika” and “Mehanik in Voznik” magazines announced the winners of the Slovenian Commercial Vehicle Awards at the closing ceremony. The prize in the “Bus of the Year” category went to MAN Lion’s City E and MAN eTGE came out on top in the new “E-Commercial Vehicle of the Year” category. This was the 14th edition of the most respected awards on the Slovenian market.
“We are delighted that this year’s awards are not only a clear indication of MAN vehicles’ quality and innovation, but also a victory for the transport world of the future,” says Claus Wallenstein, Director MAN Truck & Bus Slovenija and adds: “MAN offers sustainable electromobility concepts and is one of the first manufacturers to present all-electric solutions for the entire scope of city logistics applications between 3 and 26 tonnes. We are convinced that the future of goods and passenger transport in the city is electric.”
The new MAN Lion’s City E
Voting for the Slovenian Commercial Vehicle Awards took place in two phases, with readers of both special interest magazines casting their votes first for the nominees. The jury of the magazines then judged the candidates on the basis of various criteria. The new MAN Lion’s City E impressed the readers and editors with its sustainable overall concept. The fully-electric city bus is emission-free and has a reliable range of 200 km (and up to 270 km in favourable conditions) over the entire service life of the batteries. With the batteries installed on the roof, this means they are outside the crash-prone rear area and are also more accessible for service purposes. As part of the MAN Truck & Bus e-mobility roadmap, an eBus demo fleet will be launched in five European countries in 2020, and tested for its suitability in daily use. MAN will be handing over the first eBus for a customer practical test later in 2019. The first vehicles from series production of the MAN Lion’s City E in the 12-metre solobus version are set to be delivered in the second half of 2020.
MAN Truck & Bus won the competition in the “Bus of the Year” category for the third year in a row. In 2017, the Slovenian award went to the NEOPLAN Tourliner and in 2018 to MAN Lion’s Coach.
MAN eTGE
An award was also presented for the “E-Commercial Vehicle of the Year” for the first time in the history of the Slovenian Commercial Vehicle Awards. The winner was the fully electric-powered MAN eTGE, which celebrated its world première at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018 in Hanover. The van has an range of 173 kilometres (NEDC cycle) and a payload of around a tonne. “That makes it ideal for last mile logistics. This concept, but also the state-of-the-art vehicle technology and the tried and tested electric components already in use in large-scale production, were well received by the readers and the jury,” says Claus Wallenstein.
When used in urban settings, MAN eTGE’s comprehensive range of standard equipment comes in handy for the drivers and operator alike. Stand-out features include the rear-view camera, the park steering assist and the side wall protection assist, which makes it easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces – helping, in turn, to reduce the risk of damage resulting from these situations. When it comes to safety, the eTGE also comes with impressive capabilities as standard, including the Front Assist area monitoring system with City Emergency Braking and the EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) advanced emergency braking system.
