Voyages Emile Weber, one of Luxembourg’s largest bus companies, Losch Luxembourg, a Volkswagen Group importer and Luxembourg’s largest dealer group and MAN Truck & Bus have concluded a strong partnership for developing alternative drives. Their joint intention is to promote the use of emissions-free transit buses.
Luxembourg’s gloves are off: from 2020, the country plans to implement its zero-emissions target for inner-city transport and will no longer buy buses with conventional drives. For this reason, one of the country’s largest bus companies, Voyages Emile Weber, has now decided to collaborate actively in the development of innovative drives for transit buses. To this end, representatives of the company signed an agreement with MAN Truck & Bus and Losch Luxembourg to establish a development partnership.
The aim of this collaboration is to develop a TCO-optimised zero-emissions concepts in the field of electromobility. As part of the cooperation, several events are planned, including workshops discussing the requirements of e-Buses. In addition, four battery-electric city buses will be introduced into the Emile Weber fleet to increase recognition of the participants. These 12 metre-long vehicles are charged via CCS connector in the depot.
“For the development of our eMoblity solutions, we expect to be able to benefit from the practical experience of Voyages Emile Weber,” commented Stefan Sahlmann, Head of Product Marketing City Bus & Transport Solutions at MAN Truck & Bus. “A particularly important aspect for us is the knowledge we gain from using these vehicles in everyday conditions. MAN aspires to offer its customers commercially viable, sophisticated transport solutions, so field testing is essential.”
In line with its eMobility Roadmap, MAN is planning to start series production in late 2019. Thanks to its many years of experience with electrified drivetrains and components in the MAN Lion’s City Hybrid, MAN Truck & Bus is also in an excellent position to provide transport companies with a practical and efficient solution in the electric bus segment. For this, MAN uses a modular concept, in which the number of energy storage modules can be selected depending on the range and transport capacity required.
For five generations, the company Voyages Emile Weber has been dedicated to transporting people, firstly using horse-drawn carriages, and then with buses. Today, its fleet consists of more than 450 vehicles, ranging from minibuses and taxis to luxury touring coaches. Voyages Emile Weber’s areas of business are both deeply rooted in tradition and geared towards innovation and the future. Passenger transport on scheduled services, travel agency and touring coach fleet are all kept in top condition in line with the motto “first-class travel”, while new services such as web taxis show the company’s eyes are firmly looking to the future. The partnership with Losch Luxembourg, build on many years of trust, offers the ideal combination to lead the way in the new world of alternative drives.
