The coach made a lasting impression and won over the jury of international trade journalists: The MAN Lion's Coach has won the prestigious Sustainable Bus Award (Sby Award) in the 'Coach' category. The jury was particularly enamoured with the efficiency, environmental friendliness and versatility of the modern coach.

MAN Lion's Coach wins the 'Sustainable Bus of the Year 2022' award in the coach category

Decisive factors for the jury: Powerful engine that is one hundred percent compatible with alternative fuels, high degree of vehicle efficiency, new generation of seats made from recycled materials and much more

Criteria such as safety, comfort, noise, recyclability of components and the environmental awareness of the manufacturer are included in the jury's assessment

Sustainable trucks to go with sustainable buses: MAN TGX is the 'Sustainable Truck of the Year 2022'

Only the most innovative and sustainable buses on the European market are presented with the Sustainable Bus Award. This year saw the award presented for the fourth time. One of the award winners: the MAN Lion's Coach, which prevailed over its rivals in the 'Coach' category. 'We are delighted that the MAN Lion's Coach has impressed the expert jury and won the Sustainable Bus of the Year 2022 award. After all, it is the first and only European award that recognises the topic of sustainability in the city bus, intercity bus and coach sector. It also acknowledges our tireless commitment to environmentally friendly solutions - we are proud of that,' says Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, who accepted the award at a digital event last Friday. 'The award is a clear statement that the MAN Lion's Coach is not only a reliable and safe vehicle, but also an economical and sustainable one. The experts appreciate this, but so do our customers: The Lion's Coach is now in use all over Europe and further afield,' says Kuchta.

Sophisticated solutions and efficiency impress the jury

The trade press jury, representing eight European countries, was impressed by several aspects of the MAN Lion's Coach: For example, the longest version of the state-of-the-art coach can accommodate up to 61 passengers. This means that the vehicle, which is just under 14 metres long, has minimal CO2 emissions per passenger. What's more, the jury's verdict states that the MAN D26 engine, which meets the Euro 6e standard and generates up to 510 hp (375 kW) of power, is 100 per cent compatible with alternative fuels such as HVO and bio-diesel. In addition, the maximum possible torque can be achieved even at very low engine speeds, which has an enormously positive effect on the overall efficiency of the vehicle. The new generation of seats made from recycled materials also caused a stir. The topic of MAN DigitalServices was also a decisive factor for the jury: These services can be used with the aid of the 'RIO Box', which has been fitted as standard since October 2019. The digital services help to keep track of and optimise all cost factors that have an impact on the total cost of ownership (TCO) - from optimal tour planning all the way through to maintenance management. That's because forward-looking planning and intelligent grouping of maintenance appointments ensures maximum vehicle availability. 'The fact that the MAN Lion's Coach is the vehicle that has constantly impressed for a number of years with its high reliability and low fuel consumption, and is a clear champion when it comes to total cost of ownership, is also due in no small part to these services,' says Kuchta.

The Lion's Coach also sets standards in terms of safety for drivers, passengers and road users: With the help of MAN OptiView, the world's first mirror replacement system for coaches, the driver has a full view of the blind spot. There are two cameras on each side of the vehicle that project the side and rear areas of the coach onto two monitors inside the vehicle in real time. This way, it is possible to display a larger area than is the case with conventional exterior mirrors. Additional safety is ensured, among other things, by the active warning turning assistant with pedestrian detection, a speed limit indicator and automatic traffic sign recognition. The new PCV (Premium Comfort Valve) shock absorber technology and optimised chassis configuration also guarantee greater driving comfort, improved handling and greater safety reserves.

To offer customers the greatest possible freedom, the Lion's Coach is available in four lengths and with two or three axles. Its maximum overall permitted weight of up to 19.5 tonnes also contributes to its flexibility in terms of possible applications for coach operators. The Lion's Coach also meets high standards in terms of economic efficiency: The coach owes its economical driving performance in part to the optimised Euro 6 driveline and the automated MAN TipMatic Coach manually operated gearbox. This employs MAN's own start-up and gearshift strategy, which is optimally configured for the D26 engines. The interplay between the components in the new driveline makes the vehicle particularly efficient and contributes to its low fuel consumption. This and many other individual measures ensure that the MAN Lion's Coach is extremely safe and versatile, thus making the bus operator's business far more straightforward.

'Sustainable Truck of the Year 2022': MAN TGX also sweeps the board

By the way: The MAN Lion's Coach is not the only vehicle to impress the experts when it comes to sustainability: The MAN TGX has been named 'Sustainable Truck of the Year 2022'. At the end of October, the 510 hp variant of MAN's flagship truck received the award in the 'semitrailer tractor' category at the Ecomondo trade fair in Italy, one of Europe's leading trade fairs for sustainable and regenerative recycling management. The jury praised the TGX 18.510 for being particularly fuel-efficient, economical and environmentally friendly.

'The aim of the Sustainability Award is to create a positive awareness for sustainability. And this can also be achieved, of course, with innovative vehicles such as the MAN Lion's Coach and the MAN TGX,' Kuchta points out. Factors such as safety, comfort, noise development and the recyclability of components are of particular importance in the jury's assessment, as is the manufacturer's general environmental awareness.