MAN Truck & Bus signed a contract with South Africa’s Paruk Group for the delivery of 100 fully electric city buses.
This is MAN’s largest eBus order outside Europe to date – and a strong signal of the growing importance of international markets.
“This order is an important step on our journey to make urban transport around the world even cleaner, quieter, and safer. At the same time, it demonstrates the strategic importance of our international chassis business,” says Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, adding: “We are delighted to be setting new standards for electric mobility on the African continent together with the Paruk Group.”
The Lion’s Explorer E vehicles ordered are based on the Lion’s Chassis E, which was developed specifically for international markets. Unlike in Europe, where MAN produces and sells complete buses, the focus in the global market is on chassis that are completed in the respective countries by certified body manufacturers. With the Lion’s Explorer E, MAN is producing both the chassis and the body in South Africa.
All 100 vehicles will be manufactured entirely on site: the chassis at the MAN plant in Pinetown and the bodies at the Olifantsfontein plant. With local production, MAN is strengthening industrial value creation in the region and contributing to the development of green bus production there. The Lion’s Explorer E, with a length of 12 meters, is designed as a high-floor vehicle with steps for entry. The four battery packs, each with a capacity of 80 kWh, are located between the axles under the floor. Delivery of the fleet will begin in 2026 and will be completed by the end of 2027.
“We operate one of the largest MAN bus fleets globally – a testament to over 30 years of trust, partnership, and shared vision. 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,” says Mohmed Paruk, owner of the Paruk Group, which operates primarily in South Africa. The company’s fleet comprises around 2,000 buses, of which around 1,500 are MAN vehicles.
“We are proud to not only bring the first MAN eBuses on the African roads, but to be the first manufacturer, across both passenger and commercial vehicles, in the South African automotive industry to localize the production of an electric vehicle,” says Jan Aichinger, Managing Director of MAN Truck & Bus South Africa.
MAN delivered the first fully electric bus for the African market in Cape Town in 2023. The Lion’s Explorer E was adapted to local requirements and also manufactured 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,” says Oktay. “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 is the market leader in the bus business in South Africa. The goal is to achieve this position in the electric bus market as well. “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,” says Oktay.
