In public transport and distribution, the decision seems to have been made: battery electric vehicles are the means of choice. Accordingly, MAN Truck & Bus already offers series production of the MAN Lion’s City E and eTGE as well as the eTGM electric distribution truck. The all-electric truck of the new truck generation will hit the road from 2023.
Apart from the rapid development of battery technology, hydrogen (H2) is a good complementary option as an alternative fuel for long-distance transport, which is why MAN Truck & Bus is now presenting its R&D roadmap for this: According to this, prototype vehicles are to be built as early as next year in line with the currently ongoing development projects. MAN is testing both the use of a fuel cell and an H2 combustion engine.
The advantages are obvious: On the one hand, this form of electric mobility is very environmentally friendly. When in use, fuel cells do not cause any climate-damaging emissions, as they only emit water vapour. On the other hand, thanks to the on-board power generation, their range of approximately 800 km is large enough for long-distance truck transport with a high payload.
The hydrogen combustion engine, on the other hand, offers a more readily available and robust solution thanks to the well-known basic technology and could thus serve as a bridging technology.
Practical trials in cooperation with selected customers are planned for 2023/24. The aim is to test the entire hydrogen ecosystem in transport logistics. As part of a so-called Bavarian fleet, MAN would like to test hydrogen for use in long-distance road freight transport in a consortium project together with Bavarian infrastructure operators and freight forwarding partners. Initial talks on this are already underway with the Bavarian state government. Co-operation with universities is also planned.
“We take our responsibility towards the environment and society very seriously, so MAN Truck & Bus is using a lot of energy for the development of alternative drive systems,” emphasises Dr. Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research & Development at MAN Truck & Bus. “Hydrogen can be an interesting solution here, but then infrastructure needs to be significantly expanded. We are happy to make our contribution by developing the right vehicles – as we demonstrate with our roadmap.”
