MAN Truck & Bus has signed its largest electric bus order outside Europe, as South Africa’s Paruk Group placed an order for 100 fully electric Lion’s Explorer E buses. These vehicles will be built locally and should hit the road starting next year.
The 12-metre Lion’s Explorer E buses are based on the Lion’s Chassis E, developed specifically for international markets. MAN states that while it produces complete buses for the European market, it’s global strategy focuses on providing chassis to be completed locally by certified body manufacturers.
In South Africa, both the chassis and the body will be produced domestically. Production will take place at MAN’s facilities in Pinetown and Olifantsfontein, where the chassis and bodies will be built, respectively. Each bus will feature four 80 kWh battery packs mounted under the floor between the axles, designed for urban operation. Delivery of the fleet is scheduled to begin in 2026 and should be completed by the end of 2027.
Paruk Group, which operates one of the largest MAN bus fleets globally with around 2,000 vehicles – 1,500 from MAN – sees the order as a pivotal moment. “Our move from diesel to electric isn’t just a technological shift but a promise to our continued focus on sustainable transport solutions in the region. It is a bold step – but with MAN at our side, it feels like a natural evolution,” said Mohmed Paruk, owner of the Paruk Group.
The company delivered its first fully electric bus for Africa in 2023 – a Lion’s Explorer E for Cape Town – which was adapted to local requirements and built locally. “Thanks to manufacturing in South Africa, we can ensure that the eBuses perfectly meet the needs of transport companies and can also be integrated into existing processes in the best possible way,” said Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. “With the major order that has now been signed, we are convinced that electric mobility in South Africa will gain significant momentum.”
MAN Truck & Bus currently leads the conventional bus market in South Africa and aims to replicate that success in the electric segment. “We are doing everything we can to ensure that the new eBus is as well received in South Africa as our Lion’s City E is in Europe, with around 3,000 units already delivered,” Oktay concluded.
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