MAN electric long haul truck has made the first public test drives. First deliveries expected in 2024

MAN electric long haul truck, whose arrival in the market is expected by 2024, has made its very first public road tests. We’ve seen the truck prototype at IAA Transportation, not long ago, and learned more about the Lion’s strategy on electrification for long haul transportation. The idea is quite clear: so far, most of the R&D efforts have been put to full electric trucks, with considerable range compared to what we’ve seen from other manufacturers.

MAN electric truck for long and medium distances

So, the MAN truck is suitable for heavy long-distance transport, but also covers all regional and distribution transport services. According to the German manufacturer, compared to a diesel truck in long-distance transport with an average consumption of 27 litres, a single electric truck can save up to 100 tonnes of CO2 per year over 120,000 kilometres. And the transport companies also benefit, because the electric truck uses the energy employed much more efficiently, saving up to 7.000 euro per year.

“Our new eTruck will electrify long-distance transport from 2024. MAN will then be driving electrically and CO2-free in all product areas – from vans to city buses and distribution trucks to heavy long-distance trucks”, said MAN CEO, Alexander Vlaskamp. “At the IAA we opened the order book for the first batch of the new eTruck and there are many interested parties! Our truck comes just at the right time. From the middle of the decade it will be more economical to drive battery-electric than conventional diesel. By 2030, half of our vehicles sold in the EU should have zero-emission drive systems. But for this to happen, the charging infrastructure must be there, in Germany and in Europe”.

Similar performances compared to diesel trucks

In terms of application diversity and possible body concepts, the future MAN eTruck is in no way inferior to today’s diesel trucks, but is CO2-free on the road: whether as a classic articulated truck in long-distance transport of refrigerated foodstuffs, as a manoeuvrable 3-axle chassis in low-noise and exhaust-free waste disposal in the city, or in the all-electric transport of materials to the construction site with chassis and trailer.

MAN has already produced 20 prototypes of the future e-Lion in its innovative eMobility Centre at the main plant in Munich. The planned future-oriented mixed series production with conventional trucks is thus already being tested under real conditions. In addition to funding from the Free State of Bavaria, investments are also being made in the MAN plant in Nuremberg. From 2025, around 100,000 battery packs are to be produced here annually in in-house large-scale series production. The new MAN eTruck already uses the third generation of MAN action batteries.