MAN Truck & Bus has been selected as the main supplier under Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) largest bus procurement contract to date, with a framework agreement covering more than 3,000 buses to be delivered between 2027 and 2032, the companies said.
A significant share of the vehicles under the agreement will be fully electric, reflecting Deutsche Bahn’s strategy to expand low-emission mobility in regional and urban public transport across Germany. The buses will be operated by DB Regio AG, Deutsche Bahn’s regional transport subsidiary.
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“The new framework agreement with Deutsche Bahn is a historic contract for buses and an outstanding vote of confidence in our products and our team,” said Alexander Vlaskamp, chief executive of MAN Truck & Bus, adding that the high proportion of electric vehicles highlights the role of both companies in the transition toward more sustainable transport.
MAN and Deutsche Bahn have worked together since 2010, a partnership that has seen nearly 5,000 MAN buses delivered over the past 15 years. The new agreement expands that cooperation and allows Deutsche Bahn to choose from a broad portfolio of bus models for different operating requirements.
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“With the new buses, our passengers will continue to reach their destinations reliably, comfortably, and in an environmentally friendly manner,” said Harmen van Zijderveld, member of Deutsche Bahn’s management board for regional transport. He added that long-term framework contracts provide access to modern vehicles while enabling continued development in cooperation with manufacturers.
Under the agreement, MAN will supply vehicles for both intercity and urban transport. For intercity routes, Deutsche Bahn plans to deploy MAN Lion’s Intercity LE models in several lengths. Urban operations will primarily use buses from the MAN Lion’s City family, including diesel, CNG, hybrid and battery-electric variants.
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A central element of the contract is the delivery of battery-electric MAN Lion’s City E buses, available in 10-, 12- and 18-metre versions. These models are intended for a range of urban use cases, from narrow inner-city routes to high-capacity corridors, with MAN providing electric motors and batteries manufactured in-house.
“With this framework agreement, Deutsche Bahn is receiving an extremely flexible overall package of efficient diesel vehicles, hybrid models, and fully electric buses,” said Dennis Affeld, managing director of MAN Truck & Bus Germany. He said the range of technologies would allow operators to match vehicles to route requirements while supporting climate targets.
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The agreement reinforces MAN Truck & Bus’s position in the German public transport market and supports Deutsche Bahn’s efforts to modernise its bus fleet as part of wider decarbonisation goals in local and regional transport.
