No other capital city worldwide has a higher proportion of electric cars than Oslo. Trams and ferries are powered by hydroelectric energy. More and more e-buses are also on Oslo roads, as per the press release by the company.
For instance, the Norwegian transport operator Unibuss has ordered 76 Lion’s City E from MAN Truck & Bus, which includes 59 solo and 17 articulated buses.
We are very pleased about our first e-bus order from Norway, which fits seamlessly into a series of orders from Scandinavia – a great success.
Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus
Orders of MAN’s Lion’s City E
22 MAN Lion’s City E is already in service in Malmö, Sweden. In addition, KEOLIS ordered 75 Lion’s City 18 E for Sweden in 2021. With these, 60 articulated electric buses would go to Gothenburg and 15 to Stockholm.
Furthermore, 10 Lion’s City 12 E will be used in the Swedish capital. Another order for 12 articulated electric buses from MAN came from Uppsala. The framework agreement with Gamla Uppsala Buss includes a choice for a further 65 electric buses.
Similarly, Denmark also relies on the MAN electric bus. Residents and guests to Copenhagen are driven in 26 MAN Lion’s City 12 e-buses.
Twelve more electric buses were delivered to Vikingbus in Odder, meaning that 38 electric buses are currently making their rounds on Danish roads.
Unibuss takes on a sustainable public transport
It is worth noting that Norwegian transport operator Unibuss also cares about innovation, and sustainability could be seen in its fleet, which is well positioned in alternative drives.
For several years now, the bus company has been committed to sustainable local public transport. With the new 76 MAN e-buses, Unibuss is now taking another important step towards clean mobility. We are very pleased that the long-standing partnership with Unibuss is being continued. I am particularly proud of the team in Norway, which has made this significant success possible through close cooperation.
Malte Kauert, Managing Director MAN Truck & Bus Nordics
Delivery of the 76 MAN Lion’s City E is set for the end of next year. Then, they will be deployed in the east and northeast of Oslo – hence, in trendy city districts with many parks, wooden houses, and museums.
Oslo is to become the world’s first emission-free city by 2030. With emission-free public transport already by the end of 2023, an important part of the job is done. New electric buses in Oslo East mean cleaner local air, less noise, better comfort, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Ruter AS, local public transport authority (PTA)
One of the reasons why Unibuss selected the MAN Lion’s City E was to improve the CO2 balance in public transportation. However, the issue of flexibility played a significant role for the company.
For example, solo buses feature 5 (instead of 6) standard battery packs, and articulated buses come with 7 (rather than 8) standard battery packs.
Kuchta also said that since this autumn, consumers have been able to select the number of battery packs for themselves. In this way, their fully-electric city bus could be better adapted to individual consumer needs and requirements in terms of passenger capacity and range.
More range and efficiency are vowed by the CO2 air conditioning system, which has been available as a choice since the middle of 2022, which Unibuss opted for.
Notably, the new air conditioning system for the Lion’s City E is significantly more efficient and more environmentally friendly, providing up to 25 km (15 miles) additional range.
Safety assured by assistance systems
The safety of drivers, passengers, and other road users is ensured by some assistance systems like MAN BirdView, which offers a 360° bird’s eye view of the vehicle’s surroundings, and the MAN OptiView mirror replacement system. The latter backs the driver by eliminating the blind spot and improving visibility in poor weather conditions and at night.
Since this year, innovative technology has been available for all new city bus generation models, including the all-electric Lion’s City E.
Kuchta further notes that their innovative technology has convinced Unibuss alongside their comprehensive consulting on their eMobility solutions from experts at MAN Transport Solutions.
He added that they also calculated the routes for the buses’ optimal use. Man will continue to offer the Norwegian public transport operator the best support in the future.
In addition, MAN will also offer maintenance and service for the city buses for up to 12 years.
