MAN Truck and Bus, one of the largest subsidiary of Germany-based MAN SE, has announced the next phase of modernisation of its plant in Starachowice in Poland. This would enable it to start the mass production of the MAN Lion’s City E bus by 2020.

The operating company, MAN Bus Sp. z o.o. Starachowice, received approval in August 2018 to expand its activities to include manufacturing of complete electric buses within the ‘Starachowice Special Economic Zone’. The capital expenditure related to accommodating electric-powered bus production is estimated at close to 118 million Polish złoty (around €27.4 million/Rs 230 crore). Completion of the works is planned for the end of 2021.

The assembly plant also acts as a centre of excellence for MAN in the production of low-floor city buses. The company claims that 1,724 buses have rolled off the production line in the past year alone. The expansion of the Starachowice plant lays the foundation for MAN to branch out into zero-emissions vehicles in the near future. Before mass production begins in 2020, the project will need to be carefully prepared, with a safety concept devised and the electric vehicles optimised in terms of efficiency and ergonomics.