Hansea, a private bus operator in Belgium, has placed an order for 181 electric buses from MAN Truck & Bus, bringing its total fleet of fully electric city buses to 271, all supplied by MAN.
The new order includes the MAN Lion’s City E model, which has been in operation since 2021 on Antwerp Line 36. Hansea initially acquired 90 Lion’s City E buses, which have now been delivered. This latest order is part of Hansea’s broader strategy to electrify its entire bus fleet by 2035.
Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, remarked, “This is a real success story that we are extremely proud of. After all, it also played a key role in our becoming the market leader for eBuses in Europe last year and the production figures for the Lion’s City E are steadily increasing.” MAN’s dominance extends beyond the European market to include leadership in several national electric bus markets, including Belgium.
The new order features three variants of the Lion’s City E: the 12-metre solo buses, 18-metre articulated buses, and a 10-metre compact version designed for better maneuverability in tight urban environments. This variety allows Hansea to deploy the buses across various applications in Flanders, including both local and long-distance routes.
Hansea CEO Joris Larosse highlighted the significance of the order, stating, “Sustainability is a key issue for us as well as for MAN. The order is definitely a milestone that confirms our joint commitment to sustainability.” Larosse also emphasized the long-standing partnership with MAN, noting, “Over the last ten years, we have developed a trusted partnership based on intense professional cooperation.”
In 2023, MAN Truck & Bus sold 771 electric buses in Europe, nearly tripling the previous year’s sales figures for the Lion’s City E.
