MAN Lion’s Coach E completes first winter testing campaign with temperatures down to −30°C
MAN Truck & Bus announces it has completed winter validation tests of its battery-electric Lion’s Coach E in northern Sweden and eastern Turkey, exposing the vehicle to temperatures as low as −30°C. The tests aimed to verify the reliability and performance of the vehicle’s electric drivetrain, high-voltage battery system, and thermal management under extreme climatic […]
MAN Truck & Bus announces it has completed winter validation tests of its battery-electric Lion’s Coach E in northern Sweden and eastern Turkey, exposing the vehicle to temperatures as low as −30°C.
The tests aimed to verify the reliability and performance of the vehicle’s electric drivetrain, high-voltage battery system, and thermal management under extreme climatic conditions.
The trials took place in two locations characterized by severe winter climates: northern Sweden near the Arctic Circle and the high-altitude region of Erzurum in eastern Turkey. Four Lion’s Coach E vehicles participated in the campaign, which covered several thousand kilometers on roads with snow and ice while operating in temperatures reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius.
The winter testing program also included additional vehicles from MAN’s bus portfolio, bringing the total to nine units. Alongside the electric coaches, engineers evaluated conventional coaches as well as city and intercity buses equipped with electric or hybrid drivetrains. The Lion’s Coach 14 E by MAN is set to enter production this year, after unveiling at Busworld Europe 2025.
Manufacturing is planned at MAN’s Ankara facility, with initial vehicles scheduled for delivery to selected customers before the end of the year. MAN bus deliveries grew 49% in 2025 and the group just announced €300 million service network investment.
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MAN completes winter test for the electric coach
During the test program, engineers focused on the behavior of the electric coach’s high-voltage battery system in low-temperature conditions. According to MAN Truck & Bus, the campaign examined charging performance, energy management processes such as vehicle preconditioning, and the functioning of the electric drivetrain and traction system.
Cold climates present specific operational requirements for battery-electric coaches, particularly regarding energy consumption and passenger-compartment heating. The tests therefore included the validation of the thermal management system responsible for regulating battery temperature and maintaining interior comfort levels during long-distance operations.
Hundreds of sensors installed throughout the vehicles continuously collected operational data during the test runs. Parameters monitored included temperatures, pressure levels, energy flows and the operational status of key systems. Engineers used these measurements to verify the interaction of individual components within the vehicle’s overall system architecture.
According to MAN Truck & Bus, the objective of the winter campaign was to test not only individual subsystems but also the integrated functioning of the entire vehicle in demanding environments. The manufacturer states that such testing programs have been conducted in northern Sweden for more than three decades to expose vehicles to sustained sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice.
Electric coach development and preparation for production
The Lion’s Coach E represents MAN’s entry into the battery-electric coach segment. The vehicle integrates electric drivetrain technology derived from the manufacturer’s eTruck program and uses NMC battery packs produced at MAN’s plant in Nuremberg, that started operations in 2025.
The coach is offered with a usable battery capacity between 320 and 480 kWh. According to the manufacturer, the vehicle can reach a maximum range of up to 650 kilometers under optimal operating conditions.
The vehicle’s aerodynamic design includes measures aimed at reducing the drag coefficient, while the passenger compartment can accommodate up to 63 passengers. MAN states that luggage capacity remains comparable to that of the diesel-powered Lion’s Coach.
Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, stated: “There are high expectations for our new fully electric coach, which celebrated its world premiere at Busworld Europe last fall – and we want to fully meet these expectations thanks to such intensive testing.”
Roland Scharl, Head of Engineering Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, said: “The combination of double-digit sub-zero temperatures, snow, and ice provides the ideal conditions for putting vehicles through their paces in the overall system. The successful debut of the Lion’s Coach E shows that electric mobility in passenger transport is reliable and economically feasible even under extreme conditions.”
