since 1976
since 1976
MAN Truck & Bus (M) Sdn Bhd (MAN Malaysia), the first vehicle manufacturer in Malaysia to offer Euro V engines as standard across its entire Truck range, is once again demonstrating its leadership and commitment towards sustainability, this time with its Bus chassis range.
Speaking at MAN BAGUS, an annual gathering for key players from the bus industry at its Serendah CKD assembly plant, MAN Malaysia Managing Director Andrew O’Brooks announced that the company plans to introduce a low-emission Euro V engine as an option in 2023 to help bus operators reduce their carbon footprint.
“By next year, we also hope to start taking orders for the MAN e-chassis but that is dependent on the development of the EV-charging infrastructure that we hope would be the primary focus of the Malaysian authorities. These are ground- breaking moves by MAN Malaysia as we continue to offer environmentally- friendly options to the transport industry as we lead the drive towards carbon neutral status for Malaysia by 2050. The introduction of Euro V engines and e- chassis will certainly differentiate MAN Bus offerings, which are already renowned for their quality, reliability, versatility and flexibility,” he said.
O’Brooks expressed confidence that bus operators in Malaysia would have the foresight to join the sustainability journey like many of their counterparts in the transport and logistics sector that did not hesitate to add the New MAN Truck Generation with Euro V engines as standard to their fleet.
“I believe that many will see the benefits of investing in a more sustainable, fuel efficient and low-emission vehicle for their fleets. With road transportation being a major contributor of emissions, all of us must do our part in helping reduce the industry’s carbon footprint if Malaysia if it is to achieve carbon neutral status by 2050,” he said.
At the event, MAN Malaysia took the opportunity to reconnect with bus operators and share updates on global trends and MAN’s success in developing electro- mobility solutions for the public transport sector such as the MAN Lion City E.
Already in actual inner-city service in several European cities, the MAN Lion City E proved that it could handle long distances too.
In the highly successful Electrifying Europe Tour from April 29 to May 8, 2022, MAN’s electric bus covered some 2,500 kilometres from Munich in Germany to Limerick in Ireland, proving its outstanding capabilities and reliability.
However, formidable challenges need to be overcome before the new e-chassis could become a viable offering in the Malaysian market.
Firstly, as a petroleum producing country with relatively low prices at the pumps, there are few incentives to go electric on a major scale.
Secondly, despite the Malaysian Government’s commitment to achieve carbon neutral status by 2050 at the earliest, the actual steps and implementation process remain unclear with few incentives for consumers to invest in electric PSVs (public service vehicles).
Thirdly, the investment and development of charging stations and relevant infrastructure are perhaps the biggest obstacles to bringing the e-chassis or even CBU e-buses into Malaysia.
For more information on the MAN Bus chassis range, please visit www.man.com.my.
