MAN Truck & Bus
Ready for the island: MAN electric buses are making public transport on Sylt more sustainable.
Five fully electric MAN Lion’s City E buses are now running on Sylt, the biggest and best known of the North Frisian Islands. They glide almost soundlessly through breathtaking natural landscapes with only the murmur of the sea and the wind to be heard. The Lion’s City 12 E solo e-bus that arrived last October was joined by four fully electric MAN Lion’s City 18 E articulated buses in January 2023 to run scheduled services for the Sylter Verkehrsgesellschaft (SVG) bus company. “Many of our customers want sustainability, they want an e-bus,” said SVG CEO Sven Paulsen.
After the island of Pellworm, Sylt is the second largest north German island, often known as the “Queen of the North Sea”, where holidaymakers and residents enjoy local zero emission transport on the Bus of the Year 2023. These e-buses, to be joined by a further MAN Lion’s City 12 E in February, operate five routes across the entire island – no problem for them thanks to their range of almost 400 kilometres. With space for 53 seated passengers and 79 standing, plus two wheelchair spaces, the 18-metre-long articulated electric bus is ideal for busy routes. Nikolas Häckel, Mayor of Sylt, sees the island as a trendsetter: “We can, we must and we want to be e-mobility pioneers.”
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We can, we must and we want to be e-mobility pioneers.
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You feel really comfortable, I’m very pleased and satisfied.
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SVG fleet to go entirely electric
“We are especially proud that our products have proven themselves in practise in this region where such value is placed on climate protection and will now be helping to shape the characteristic image of the island with their futuristic smart edge design,” said Steffen Eimer, Regional Director of Bus Sales at MAN. The Green Deal for electromobility on Sylt includes other measures too: over the next five to ten years, SVG wants to convert its fleet entirely to zero emissions.
The lithium-ion battery packs used in the MAN Lion’s City E come in 480- or 640-kilowatt hour (kWh) capacities and are mounted in the roof. This puts them outside of the rear crash zone and makes them more easily accessible for servicing. By the end of the year, 22 charging points will have been installed in the SVG depot to serve as “power tanks”. A further six chargers are planned for the central bus station in Westerland and another at each of the harbours in Hörnum and List.
Many customers want sustainability, an e-bus.
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Reinforcements: Four fully electric MAN Lion’s City 18 E buses have been running scheduled services for the Sylter Verkehrsgesellschaft (SVG) since January 2023.
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Electricity instead of diesel: Over the next five to ten years, SVG wants to convert its fleet entirely to zero emissions.
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Power packs: The lithium-ion battery packs used in the MAN Lion’s City E are mounted in the roof.
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Landmark: The “Reisende Riesen im Wind” sculptures (Travelling Giants in the Wind) stand right opposite Sylt station. They probably won’t be travelling by bus though.
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Idyllic: Sustainable mobility meets modern livestock farming.
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Family reunion: One of the new MAN Lion's City 18Es meets the MAN Lion's City 12E, which has already been on the road on Sylt since October.
Electrified: SVG bus driver Waldemar Werwein is pleased with his new electric bus.
Digital charging solutions for e-buses
In addition to the hardware, SVG is also using digital charging solutions from MAN. MAN DigitalServices allows precise monitoring of the vehicle and its battery using eManager, charging with the timer function and preconditioning the climate control in the electric buses to improve their range. Not only that, but any charging errors are also displayed so that action can be taken promptly.
One person who is especially looking forward to the new electric Lions is Waldemar Werwein. As an SVG bus driver, he spends hours at the wheel of the MAN Lion’s City E and has nothing but praise for his new workplace: “You feel really comfortable, I’m very pleased and satisfied.”
