German commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus has begun series production of its fully electric Lion’s City E bus at its plant in Ankara, marking the addition of a third production site for the model.
The company clarified that the move does not represent the start of production for the electric bus itself, which has been in operation across Europe for several years, with around 3,300 units delivered to date. However, this is the first time the Lion’s City E has been manufactured in Türkiye.
The Ankara facility joins existing production sites in Starachowice, where the model has been built since 2020, and Olifantsfontein, which serves local markets. MAN said the expansion is intended to increase capacity and respond to growing demand for electric buses.
To prepare for production, the Ankara plant underwent infrastructure upgrades, process adjustments and workforce training focused on electric drivetrains. The facility operates a flexible manufacturing system, allowing electric and conventional buses to be produced on the same assembly lines.
“With the launch of e-bus production in Ankara, we are setting a significant milestone on our path to electromobility,” said Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. “We are expanding our production capacities, strengthening our global bus network, and can meet rising customer demands even faster and more flexibly. Ankara will play a key role in our e-mobility strategy going forward.”
“Ankara is developing into one of MAN’s central e-mobility hubs,” added Mehmet Şermet, Head of Production Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. “Thanks to our flexible production structure, we can manufacture both various electric bus models and conventionally powered buses on the same production line. This enables us to respond efficiently to different market requirements.”
The Lion’s City E is offered in multiple configurations, including 10-metre, 12-metre and 18-metre articulated versions, as well as low-entry variants for intercity use. MAN also supplies the Lion’s Chassis E for bodybuilders in international markets, supporting a range of urban and regional transport applications.
The company said additional electric bus models are planned for production in Ankara, including intercity variants and the Lion’s Coach E, with initial deliveries of the electric coach expected by the end of the year.