MAN Truck & Bus advances circular economy with Europe-wide battery repair centre rollout

MAN Truck & Bus, a Munich-based commercial vehicle manufacturer, has announced a strategic expansion with the establishment of battery repair centres across key European countries, including Italy, Denmark/Norway, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Poland, and the UK, with plans for further expansion. This initiative represents a significant investment over the next two years, building upon the two existing centres in Germany and Spain. This rollout coincides with the delivery of the new MAN eTruck generation to customers in 2024, addressing the growing demand for electric vehicle (EV) maintenance and repair services.

The new battery repair hubs are a response to the increasing presence of MAN’s electric vehicles on European roads, with over 1,000 battery-electric city buses and more than 2,400 all-electric vans already in circulation. With the ramp-up of eTruck production, the EV population is expected to surge, necessitating robust support infrastructure.

Christopher Kunstmann, Senior Vice President of Customer Service Management at MAN Truck & Bus, emphasized the importance of battery repair in maintaining the economic efficiency and operational readiness of customers’ electric vehicles. “Battery repair is a necessity for MAN in order to ensure the economic efficiency and operational readiness of our customers’ electric vehicles at a high level. We also make a major contribution to the closed-loop approach of traction batteries, as this extends the battery life in the vehicle, which conserves important resources,” Kunstmann stated. This approach not only ensures the longevity of EV batteries but also aligns with sustainability efforts by conserving resources.

The expertise developed at the first MAN battery repair centre in Hanover-Laatzen, dating back to 2020, is being systematically transferred to other markets. The aim is to have a battery repair hub in every market where MAN’s battery-electric commercial vehicles are present, ensuring short transport routes and quick repairs by highly trained technicians, thereby minimizing vehicle downtime.

Each battery repair centre must meet specific criteria, including the availability of high-voltage and special tools, special protective equipment for electricians, and facilities that comply with safety and operational standards. This meticulous approach ensures that each centre is equipped to handle various battery types and repair needs efficiently.

MAN Truck & Bus’s initiative is part of a broader commitment to sustainability and the circular economy, exemplified by its leadership in the REVAMP project. This project aims to automate the assessment of used vehicle batteries for remanufacturing, supporting the second use in vehicles or other applications. Furthermore, MAN is focusing on recycling and the use of recycled materials in new batteries, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chain and advancing towards net-zero emissions in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

In 2023, MAN Truck & Bus partnered with the Munich start-up network Circular Republic to advance innovations in the circular economy, including semi-automated dismantling of traction batteries and recycling of cell modules. This collaboration underscores MAN’s dedication to establishing a closed loop for batteries, enhancing sustainability, and promoting the efficient use of resources.