MAN flips the switch, adds electric trucks to its production line

German manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus has officially started series production of its new electric trucks. At its main plant in Munich, the company is now building battery-electric rigs on the very same assembly line as its traditional diesel-powered models.

MAN CEO Alexander Vlaskamp, present for the launch, called the moment a historic turning point for the nearly 270-year-old company. This integrated approach allows MAN to build either an electric or a diesel truck in any sequence, responding directly to customer orders without needing separate, dedicated production facilities.

While a conventional truck chassis would receive a combustion engine, fuel tanks, and an exhaust system, the chassis for a MAN eTruck is fitted with a large "power pack" containing two massive batteries beneath the cab, along with other high-voltage components. To handle this change, the company has invested heavily in its workforce, training more than 5,000 employees. The plant can currently produce around 100 trucks per day, a process that takes roughly eight hours per vehicle, regardless of whether it runs on diesel or electricity.

MAN has poured nearly $444 million into the research and development of its battery-electric portfolio and is investing around $1 billion this decade to electrify its European plants, with a large portion dedicated to its German sites in Munich and Nuremberg. The company has set an ambitious goal to deliver its first 1,000 electric trucks by the end of 2025.

The MAN eTruck arrives on the market with impressive credentials, backed by extensive real-world testing. Nearly 200 pre-series models have already covered about two million kilometers in customer hands across Europe. Some of these test vehicles completed daily routes of up to 528 miles, demonstrating remarkable efficiency with an average consumption of just 97 kWh per 62 miles.

The trucks feature three to six modular Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) battery packs, produced at MAN's Nuremberg facility, offering a gross capacity of up to 534 kWh for a range of up to 311 miles. For long-haul operations, an optional seventh battery pack can be added, pushing the potential range to 460 miles on a single charge.

With a product line ranging from 12 to 50 tonnes, MAN is targeting all major transport applications. A standout model, the eTruck Ultra-Lowliner semi-trailer tractor, is already generating a lot of interest, with around 700 orders placed for the electric truck so far. The Lowliner's unique fifth-wheel low height and a wheelbase of 140.55 inches allow for trailers with an internal loading height of 118 inches, a critical feature for automotive logistics. These specialized electric trucks are already being used to transport parts in Wolfsburg and Bavaria.

MAN is already the European market leader in electric city buses, which are built in Starachowice, Poland, and recently unveiled the first European electric coach in Ankara, Turkey. Over 2,500 of MAN's battery-electric buses are currently in service. The new model year buses will be equipped with the same battery packs from the Nuremberg plant as the trucks.

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