MAN Truck & Bus - Experts & Thought Leaders

On the site of the former Berlin Tempelhof Airport, in the presence of German Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Dr. Volker Wissing, MAN Truck & Bus had a near-series prototype of its upcoming electric truck driven in public for the first time. A special technical feature of the trailblazing electric commercial vehicle, which will be launched in the market in 2024, is its capacity for future megawatt charging. ABB E-mobility, a global provider of charging solutions for electric vehicles, aims to bring megawatt charging technology to market maturity, in the next three years. MAN – ABB E-mobility partnership MAN Truck & Bus (MAN) and ABB E-mobility are revving up for the next phase of electro-mobility MAN Truck & Bus (MAN) and ABB E-mobility are, thus, revving up for the next phase of electro-mobility - operational capability for heavy-duty long-haul trucking with daily ranges between 600 and 800 kilometers. Moreover, with their unequivocal commitment to electro-mobility, the two companies are signaling that the industry is ready to proceed, and that legislators must establish the policy framework for zero-emission road haulage. Decarbonizing road freight transport Dr. Volker Wissing, the German Federal Minister of Digital and Transport, said “We need to decarbonize road freight transport to achieve our climate targets. To make this happen, we are focusing above all on the market ramp-up of climate friendly commercial vehicles and the development of a corresponding high-performance charging infrastructure.” He adds, “The project we are supporting on high-performance charging for e-trucks on the A2 is providing important learning. What is important now is to get more e-trucks on the road quickly. The partnership between MAN and ABB shows that we are on the right track.” Need for expansion of the charging infrastructure During the minister’s test drive in the MAN electric truck, Alexander Vlaskamp, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MAN Truck & Bus, emphasized that “Accelerating the expansion of the charging infrastructure is the only way to achieve the evolution of transport and meet climate targets.” He also highlighted, “Why MAN is relying on battery-electric powertrains for future carbon-free commercial vehicle fleets - low operating costs and the best overall energy footprint. As part of the Traton Group, we are already participating in a joint venture with industry partners to develop and operate a high-performance public charging network, with a target of at least 1,700 green electricity charging points across Europe.” Using future megawatt charging systems To enable long-distance daily ranges between 600 and 800 kilometers, the MAN electric truck, which is due to be launched in 2024, is already equipped with the technical pre-requisites for future megawatt charging systems. ABB E-mobility, as a renowned global provider of charging solutions, intends to bring such charging systems to market quickly. Megawatt charging will require new power technology with more than 1,000 volts" Frank Mühlon, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ABB E-mobility, said “We aim to facilitate electro-mobility in all areas. At ABB E-mobility, we have been working on developing the corresponding performance standards for many years. Megawatt charging will require new power technology with more than 1,000 volts, so systemic electrical safety and reliability are essential at these power levels and for the foreseeable use cases.” Frank Mühlon adds, “ABB E-mobility is the ideal provider to take on these challenges, as we can significantly accelerate research and development, based on our existing technologies. Our shared ambition is to bring this new technology to market within three years. In the past, such development phases have often taken much longer.” Binding, uniform standard for megawatt charging technology A binding and uniform standard is also crucial for the introduction of megawatt charging technology. Germany could set benchmarks here: more than 20 partners from industry and science, including MAN and ABB, are working on the high-performance charging project (known as ‘HoLa’ in German), which is funded by the German government and is the world's first megawatt charging project. Two high-performance charging points with megawatt charging systems (MCS) are being built at four locations along the A2 federal highway. The project is intended to serve as the basis for nationwide expansion.

Volta Trucks, a disruptive full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer, and services provider, will be present for the first time at a French trade show, Solutrans 2021, taking place from November 16 to 20, 2021 in Lyon Eurexpo.  The company, which 14 months ago unveiled the demonstration vehicle of the Volta Zero, the first purpose-built 16-ton 100% electric truck designed for last-mile urban logistics, is coming to meet its potential French customers. Volta Zero demonstration vehicle Petit Forestier is a strategic partner of Volta Trucks and is the European pioneer in refrigerated truck rental The Volta Zero demonstration vehicle will be on display at the Petit Forestier booth (Hall 4, Booth L117). Petit Forestier is a strategic partner of Volta Trucks, and as the European pioneer in refrigerated truck rental, has placed a pre-order for 1,000 Volta Zero. Its subsidiary, Lecapitaine, is also responsible for fitting out the refrigerated boxes that will be ordered from the manufacturer. benefits of electric vehicles “France is an important launch market for us and we already have a number of projects underway. Over the last few months, we have seen a real interest from fleet operators for the Volta Zero as France moves to implement some of the world’s most progressive zero-emission cities. We are looking forward to showing Volta Zero to the visitors at Solutrans." "This is an opportunity for us to put Volta Trucks on the manufacturer’s landscape, to get customer feedback on the Volta Zero, and to educate the audience on the benefits of electric vehicles and the purpose it addresses in the commercial vehicle sector," comments Carla Detrieux, Business Development Director of Volta Trucks. European roadshow Since the launch of the Volta Zero in September 2020, Volta Trucks has come a long way, in particular through a European roadshow to meet fleet operators and customers. In all, no less than 1,000 customer meetings have been organized in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands. These meetings provided a wealth of information and helped input customer needs into vehicle development so that it meets actual needs. vehicle Preorders The resulting modifications will be integrated into the pilot fleet vehicles, which will be operating with customers in mid-2022. They will be tested in real-world conditions by customers. 2,500 pre-orders have been registered for a total amount exceeding 600 million Euros 2,500 pre-orders have been registered for a total amount exceeding 600 million Euros, the vast majority of which is intended for the French market. The company recently announced that the first Volta Zero vehicles will be produced in Steyr, Austria, by Steyr Automotive, formerly MAN Trucks and Bus Austria. Series production will start in late 2022. Road-to-Zero Emissions strategy Volta Trucks also unveiled its Road-to-Zero Emissions strategy in May 2021. The company intends to produce four Volta Zero models, ranging from 7.5 to 19 tons, with manufacturing forecasts of over 27,000 units by 2025. Two fund-raising rounds have been completed, the first of US$ 20 million last January and a second, recent Series B round of €37 million to accelerate the company’s growth and produce the pilot fleet. city-by-city development strategy Volta Trucks is deploying a city-by-city development strategy, focusing initially on London and Paris. Its objective is to create an innovative Truck as a Service model in each of its target cities. Truck as a Service will combine all of the elements of running an electric commercial vehicle, including financing, insurance, charging, and service and maintenance, into one monthly fee, making the transition as seamless as possible for the fleet operator.