MAN Lion’s Explorer E electric buses to boost sustainable mobility in South Africa

MAN Truck & Bus has signed a deal with South Africa’s Paruk Group to deliver 100 Lion’s Explorer E buses, the company’s largest eBus order outside Europe. Local production will strengthen the region’s green industry and expand MAN’s footprint in electric

MAN Truck & Bus has signed its largest electric bus contract outside Europe, delivering 100 fully electric city buses to South Africa’s Paruk Group. The deal marks a milestone for sustainable public transport on the African continent.

The new MAN Lion’s Explorer E buses will be entirely built in South Africa: the chassis at MAN’s Pinetown plant and the bodies at the Olifantsfontein facility. This local production approach strengthens regional industry, creates jobs, and supports the shift toward lower carbon mobility.

Based on the Lion’s Chassis E developed for international markets, the Explorer E is equipped with four 80 kWh lithium-ion battery packs—providing a total capacity of 320 kWh and a range of up to 350 kilometers. Designed as a high-floor model, it suits local operating conditions while ensuring long daily service without frequent charging.

MAN already introduced its first fully electric bus in Africa in 2023, built locally in Cape Town. The new partnership with Paruk Group represents the next phase of expansion: several of the buses are already serving students at the University of Johannesburg, connecting multiple campuses across the city.

With roughly 40% market share in South Africa’s bus sector, MAN now aims to replicate its success in the electric market. Deliveries of the 100-bus fleet will begin in 2026 and conclude by the end of 2027. Company leaders see the project as a catalyst for a local eBus manufacturing ecosystem and an example of global technology adapted to African realities.