MAN Truck & Bus has hit a historic milestone, greenlighting the series production of electric trucks at its Munich plant.
The Hauptwerk Munich plant is now buzzing with activity, producing both electric and diesel trucks side-by-side on a fully integrated mixed production line. MAN is clearly serious about electrification, aiming to deliver the first 1,000 electric trucks by the end of this year alone.
MAN CEO Alexander Vlaskamp described this shift as a “historic moment” and a “turning point” for the company. “We have invested almost €400 million euros in research and development to be able to offer our conventional truck product portfolio with battery-electric drive as well,” he shared.
The excitement was palpable at the Munich plant ceremony, where Vlaskamp, alongside MAN Production Director Michael Kobriger and EPP Chairman Manfred Weber MEP, pressed the start button on this groundbreaking production. This follows the initial delivery of an eTGX to customers back in October 2024, proving their electric trucks are already out there on the road.
Integrated Production: Flexibility is Key
To make this ambitious project a reality, MAN has adopted a smart strategy: a fully integrated mixed production line. This means electric and diesel trucks are built on the same assembly line, much like what we’ve seen from competitors like Daimler Truck. Michael Kobriger, board member for production and logistics, emphasizes the immense flexibility this provides. “The production of electric or diesel trucks on a single line can be flexibly adapted to market developments, and the vehicles can be built exactly in the order in which they are ordered by customers,” he explained. This innovative approach required significant changes across the assembly line, supply chain, and logistics.
For instance, while diesel trucks get their traditional axles, tanks, and exhaust systems, the e-models receive two compact battery blocks under the cab, along with the HV distributor, climate compressor, and other electrical components—all neatly integrated into the E-Powerpack, which is prepared on a separate pre-assembly line.
Powering Up for the Future
The Munich plant currently boasts a maximum manufacturing capacity of around 100 trucks per day (both diesel and electric), with each truck taking about eight hours to produce. A major design advantage of the eTruck is that all drive-relevant technology is located in the lower part of the frame. This leaves the upper section completely free for body manufacturers, giving customers even more flexibility in vehicle design. Towards the end of the production line, all trucks undergo the “wedding” – an internal term for positioning the cab on the assembled frame – followed by tire assembly and final testing.
To get ready for this new era, MAN has invested heavily in its workforce, training over 5,000 employees in the high-voltage technology that powers these new trucks. Kobriger also revealed plans to invest approximately €1 billion euros by 2030 to convert the company’s other European plants to electrification, significantly boosting the industrial economies of regions like Bavaria, especially Nuremberg and Munich, where the battery packs for both MAN’s electric trucks and buses are currently installed.
eTruck Models: Power, Range, and Flexibility
The new eTrucks will be launched in eTGX, eTGS, and eTGL models, mirroring MAN’s existing diesel lineup. Each electric model is built on the same modular platform, offering continuous outputs of 245 kW, 330 kW, or 400 kW. Equipped with up to six NMC batteries, these trucks can deliver a gross capacity of up to 534 kWh (480 kWh usable), translating to an impressive 500 km of range without intermediate charging! MAN has even hinted at a seventh battery for even longer ranges of up to 740 km, with more details to come.
At the opening ceremony, MAN highlighted the eTruck’s potential for day tours of up to 850 km with intermediate charging and an incredibly low average consumption of 97 kWh per 100 km. The company sees its new electric truck as particularly appealing for use in automotive logistics, as it’s already available as an ultra-lowliner tractor unit.
Driving Towards a Carbon-Neutral Future
MAN is clearly making a significant bet on the eTruck. While electric buses have played a more prominent role for the company until now (with the exception of the eTGM, their first electric truck that entered production in 2018), the company’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050, coupled with current EU CO2 requirements, is fueling this rapid expansion. The aim to deliver over 1,000 eTrucks this year alone demonstrates their commitment.
However, as Alexander Vlaskamp noted, maintaining this momentum in electrified logistics across Europe also requires support from policymakers. “Politicians must now set the right course with regard to infrastructure expansion and CO2 pricing so that the ramp-up in e-mobility continues to gain momentum,” he urged.
