The Metropolitan Transport of Barcelona (TMB) has selected MAN to supply a major order for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) -powered buses. MAN will deliver the vehicles to the Spanish transport operators by the end of the year. This includes 49 natural gas buses of the MAN Lion’s City type (A21), each with a length of 12 metres, and 26 articulated buses (A23), each 18 metres in length, likewise powered with natural gas.
Manuel Fraile, head of the bus division at MAN Truck & Bus Iberia, said: “The fact that the transport operators are already using natural-gas-powered MAN buses demonstrates how satisfied the company is with this vehicle type, and that it has proven itself in the past few years.
In addition to topics such as efficiency, safety and environmental friendliness, the deciding factor for the Metropolitan Transport of Barcelona was also the services that MAN Truck & Bus offers. “We have made substantial investments in the past few years in order to be able to provide TMB and the metropolitan region of Barcelona an excellent level of service. Among other things, we have hired personnel who specialise in buses, and expanded our two official local branches in El Prat and in Parets del Vallès. This most recent success shows that we are on the right path; we are very happy to work together with a state-of-the-art company such as TMB in the future,” summarised Manuel Fraile.
As reported last week in NGV Global News, the City of Barcelona has been enabled for fleet modernisation following a decision by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to assist TMB with financing.
Related article: New CNG Buses for Barcelona with EIB Financing
