European truck brand MAN, a bus-making subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, is developing an electric bus that will have an estimated driving range of up to 403 miles on a full charge.
The MAN Lion's Coach E, as reported by Inside EVs, is planned to be unveiled in late 2025, and production is scheduled to begin in early 2026.
This zero-emissions bus will have room for up to 61 passengers and their luggage.
The company claims that the battery pack will have a capacity of 356 to 536 kilowatt-hours. While the exact charge time is yet to be determined, the company expects that the coach's maximum 375 kW rate –– keeping mandatory driver's resting periods in mind –– will make it an ideal vehicle for shuttle services, workplace transportation, and city trips.
Electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, as opposed to gas-powered vehicles, so they are much friendlier for the environment in terms of reducing air pollution.
Though there is some cost associated with charging an EV, it costs much less than filling a tank with gas, and savings can be further enhanced by installing solar panels to reduce EV charging costs. EnergySage is an excellent resource for free solar quotes, and a great place to start. They can also help you snag $10,000 in incentives. Palmetto's LightReach solar leasing program can also help you benefit from solar energy without the upfront costs.
Some EV critics point out the negative environmental impact of mining for electric batteries and the amount of energy required to charge EV batteries. While the impact is not negligible, it is much smaller when compared to the pollution that is created by digging fuels out of the earth for traditional gas-powered vehicles.
So, while EVs are not a perfect solution, they are clearly a step in the right direction toward helping the environment and steering away from planet-warming pollution. Additionally, their production process continues to improve and get cleaner.
The Lion's Coach E will be the first electric bus in a planned fleet line of other electric buses. Readers of Inside EV's article commented with a mix of skepticism and enthusiasm.
One uncertain reader stated: "Unless you are charging these busses purely off solar and wind or nuclear or hydro you cannot say that they are clean."
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Sign me up 👍 "An EV will be significantly cleaner over its lifecycle vs a fossil car," said another.
One reader was focused more on progress rather than perfection, pointing out that "a solution does not need to have zero emissions or environmental impact to be a significant improvement."
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