MAN: Mainz adds 23 articulated electric buses to its fleet

The Mainz transport company (MVG) is moving closer to its zero-emission fleet at a decent pace – the transport company in the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate recently received 23 MAN Lion’s City 18 E articulated buses and integrated them into regular service step by step.

Details

These 18-meter-long MAN electric articulated buses are equipped with two central electric motors on the second and third axles, providing the necessary power for the challenging Mainz topography. Unlike near-wheel hub electric motors, these are more accessible and less complex, offering significant advantages in maintenance and total cost of ownership (TCO), according to MAN. The two driven and electronically synchronized axles also positively impact the driving behavior of the electric articulated bus – increasing driving stability and thereby safety. Additionally, anti-jackknife protection and jackknife angle control further optimize driving stability.

The energy for the fully electric MAN articulated buses comes from modular batteries, using the mature lithium-ion battery cell technology (NMC) from the corporate toolbox. The manufacturer specifies a range of 200 km on a single charge, up to 270 km under favorable conditions – over the entire battery life. The total of eight battery packs are placed on the roof of the articulated bus, which according to MAN, has the advantage of positioning the batteries outside the more crash-prone rear area and making them more easily accessible for service.

The MAN Lion’s City 18 E is charged via a plug with 100% green electricity at the depot in Neustadt. With a maximum charging power of 150 kW, they are fully charged in less than four hours. Lastly, the electric drive also positively affects the interior – the absence of an engine tower gave developers much more room to optimize the rear area. 

“The 23 electric buses make an important contribution to cleaner air and lower noise levels. Additionally, they save CO₂ by saving approximately 500,000 liters of diesel each year. This corresponds to the avoidance of around 1,250 tons of carbon dioxide annually,” says Mainz’s Transport and Environment Deputy Mayor Janina Steinkrüger.

Support from City and Federal Government

In mid-2019, the transportation company applied to the Federal Ministry for the Environment for financial support for the vehicles and necessary charging infrastructure under the "Immediate Clean Air Program" and awarded the contract to the manufacturer MAN after approval in December 2021. The state capital contributed about 10 million euros to the costs. According to its own statements, MVG is calculating a total investment volume of just under 26 million euros for the overall project.

"The generous financial support from the city of Mainz and the federal government for this project is an outstanding matter for us, for which we are sincerely grateful, especially in light of the economic challenges currently facing transportation companies," said MVG Managing Director Berit Schmitz.

Construction of the Necessary Charging Infrastructure

In parallel with the bus procurement, new charging infrastructure was installed at the depot on Kaiser-Karl-Ring. A new medium-voltage connection was already laid in 2018, as the Mainz transportation company, from a long-term perspective, requires about 2.5 MW of power for charging the electric buses. Additionally, a new load management system is being introduced to intelligently control the charging processes of the 23 MAN articulated electric buses, thereby reducing peak load on the power grid.  

The Path to Climate Neutrality

Thanks to the trams, a large part of Mainz's public transport is already environmentally friendly: The trams, which run on green electricity, currently transport more than 35% of MVG passengers on their lines. The 23 emission-free new MAN additions are an important step towards a completely climate-neutral vehicle fleet. As early as 2017, MVG applied to the Federal Ministry of Transport for financial support for four battery buses - four Sileo electric buses have been in operation in Mainz since May 2020.

Provided that attractive funding frameworks are in place, the gradual conversion of diesel buses to emission-free vehicles in line with the EU's Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD) is to continue in the coming years. The medium-term goal: by 2030, up to 100 electrically powered buses should be in use in scheduled services, and from 2035 only climate-neutral drives should be used in MVG vehicles.

From a technical perspective, MVG plans to use battery buses for routes with a daily range of up to about 200 km, and hydrogen buses for routes of up to about 400 km. The first MVG-owned hydrogen bus from the Portuguese manufacturer Caetano was added to the fleet in January – it is refueled at the hydrogen refueling station in Wiesbaden, which was jointly built by MVG and ESWE-Verkehr.