From the Inventor of Diesel to the Pioneer of Zero Emissions

Authors

Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research & Development / Chief Technology Officer, MAN Truck & Bus SE, Munich

Year

2025

Print Info

Production/Publication ÖVK

Summary

A continuous flow of goods traffic is essential for a flourishing economy. Without smoothly functioning logistics chains and reliable just-in-time deliveries, Austria and Europe would not be able to compete internationally. 

The volume of goods moved is impressive: in 2022, trucks with a payload of two tons or more and tractor units transported a total of 390 million tons of goods. This means that road freight transport accounts for around 66 percent of freight transportation in Austria. Austrian road freight companies are responsible for more than two thirds of the transport volume. Rail is also of great importance. By contrast, shipping and air transport in particular play a subordinate role in terms of volume. 

In view of this starting position, it is clear that the transportation and commercial vehicle industry has a major responsibility for climate protection. And MAN Truck & Bus has accepted this challenge and has been developing Zero-Emission commercial vehicles for its customers for many years. As one of the major commercial vehicle manufacturers in Europe, MAN has also committed itself to making the transition to greenhouse gas-free commercial vehicles and decarbonizing production through reduction measures along the entire value chain and product life cycle. 

This requires a transformation of the entire commercial vehicle and transportation industry. This process is already in full swing at MAN: the MAN plant in Nuremberg, which can look back on 180 years of tradition as a production site for combustion engines, will provide the production capacity for over 100,000 battery systems per year and thus ensure battery production Made in Europe. To this end, we are investing around 100 million euros in the Nuremberg site and thus also in local jobs. 

In addition to the goal of decarbonization, the central benchmark for our transformation is, of course, the needs of our customers. We know that in the transport industry, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is the most important criterion when deciding to buy a long-distance truck. After all, the transportation of goods must be economical for the transport company. The nationwide switch to CO₂-free mobility in the commercial vehicle sector can therefore only succeed if the CO₂-free truck is in no way inferior to its diesel counterpart in terms of cost, practicality and suitability for use, but also in terms of combinability with a wide variety of body solutions. Trucks are capital goods and transport companies simply cannot afford to accept financial or functional restrictions when switching to alternative drives.

ISBN

978-3-9504969-4-9

DOI

https://doi.org/10.62626/6ruu-3o5m Copy link

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