Belgian bus operator orders 181 electric buses from MAN

Hansea, the leading private bus operator in Belgium, has ordered 181 electric buses from MAN Truck & Bus. The company is thus increasing its fleet to a total of 271 fully electric city buses, all of which are from MAN.

The MAN Lion’s City E made its first rounds on Antwerp Line 36 in Belgium in 2021. Operator Hansea put the electric bus through its paces for a year. The company then ordered its first 90 Lion’s City E buses from MAN, all of which have now been delivered.

But these 90 electric buses are not the end of the story, especially as Hansea wants to electrify its entire bus fleet by 2035. That is why the next order has now been placed with MAN to get closer to this long-term goal. It is for a further 181 electric buses of the MAN Lion’s City E model. The first new electric buses will be delivered this year and the order should be completed by the end of 2025.

“This is a real success story that we are extremely proud of. After all, it also played a key role in our becoming the market leader for eBuses in Europe last year and the production figures for the Lion’s City E are steadily increasing,” explains Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. However, MAN is not “only” the market leader in the overall European market, but also number one in several national electric bus markets – including Belgium.

Hansea selected three different variants for the order: the classic 12-metre solo buses as well as the typical 18-metre articulated buses. There is also a compact version measuring just 10 metres, which scores points for its particularly good manoeuvrability in narrow city centres.

Thanks to the different variants, Hansea can deploy the new bus fleet throughout Flanders for a wide range of applications. This is important, as Hansea operates not only local but also long-distance bus routes under a contract with the public transport companies De Lijn and TEC.

Hansea CEO Joris Larosse says: “Sustainability is a key issue for us as well as for MAN. The order is definitely a milestone that confirms our joint commitment to sustainability.” Hansea relied on MAN from the very beginning when it came to converting its fleet. “Over the last ten years, we have developed a trusted partnership based on intense professional cooperation,” says Larosse.

MAN is becoming increasingly important in the electric bus business. In 2023, the brand sold 771 electric buses in Europe, almost tripling the sales figures for the Lion’s City E compared to the previous year (263 electric buses in 2022).

mantruckandbus.com