Feature

MAN eTGE in action:AN eTGE in action:

Pioneer in climate protection

Switching to alternative drives

When it comes to modernising its f leet, The subject of environmentally friendly electric drives is a e subject of environmentally friendly electric drives is a Berlin’s public transport operator Berliner majorissuefortheBerlinpublictransportcompany.“Wewantajor issue for the Berlin public transport company. “We want Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) is fully committ ed to be pioneers in e-mobility,” stated Heinrich Coenen, heado be pioneers in e-mobility,” stated Heinrich Coenen, head to e-mobility. Since the end of 2018, fi ve fully ofthe internalBVG fleet. “Ifwe manage to convertthe entiref the internal BVG fl eet. “If we manage to convert the entire electric MAN eTGE vans have been among its commercial vehicle portfolio to sustainability, other large transport andehicle portfolio to sustainability, other large transport and vehicle line-up, helping to initiate a transportation changeover t c companies will be able to do the same,” he added withraffi c companies will be able to do the same,” he added with within the company. confidence.onfi dence.

The zero-emission vans consistentlyrunongreenelectricity, e zero-emission vans consistently run on green electricity, whilethedriversareimpressedwiththeirefficiency,economyhile the drivers are impressed with their effi ciency, economy anddrivingcomfort.nd driving comfort.

At BVG, Heinrich Coenen is part of a team dedicated tot BVG, Heinrich Coenen is part of a team dedicated to convertingthecompany’sfleettowardse-mobility,digitalisationonverting the company’s fl eet towards e-mobility, digitalisation andinnovativeenergymanagement. Theinternalvehiclefleetnd innovative energy management. Th e internal vehicle fl eet comprises of400 vehicles. Thomprises of 400 vehicles. This also includes vans ofvarious is also includes vans of various categories, such as the five new MAN eTGE. They are usedategories, such as the fi ve new MAN eTGE. Th ey are used as service vehicles - andalso as atestinggroundforthe 100%s service vehicles - and also as a testing ground for the 100% electrificationoftheentireBVGfleet.By2025,Coenenwantstolectrifi cation of the entire BVG fl eet. By 2025, Coenen wants to completelyelectrifytheinternalfleet.From2030onwards,theompletely electrify the internal fl eet. From 2030 onwards, the BVGbusfleet,currentlyaround1,500vehicles,willalsotransportVG bus fleet, currently around 1,500 vehicles, will also transport itspassengersexclusivelywithlocallyemission-freepropulsion,ts passengers exclusively with locally emission-free propulsion, enablingBerlintoshowhowe-mobilitycansuccessfullyworknabling Berlin to show how e-mobility can successfully work inpublictransport.n public transport.

E-mobilitypaysoff-mobility pays off

Environmental friendliness in road transport is worth itnvironmental friendliness in road transport is worth it economicallyaswell,accordingtoHeinrichCoenen: “MAN’sconomically as well, according to Heinrich Coenen: “MAN’s electricvansareidealunitsfortestingthelogisticandeconomiclectric vans are ideal units for testing the logistic and economic e cientuseofelectricvehicles.Ourvansgenerallyhaveshortffi cient use of electric vehicles. Our vans generally have short distancestocoverandalongservicelife,sothatloadingtimesistances to cover and a long service life, so that loading times andrequiredrangescanbeeasilyplanned.Inaddition,manycoldnd required ranges can be easily planned. In addition, many cold startsarenecessaryduringoperation,whichcauseparticularlytarts are necessary during operation, which cause particularly highemissionswithconventionaldrives,”heexplained.igh emissions with conventional drives,” he explained.

Theadvantagesofe-mobilitycanthereforebefullyutilisedwhen e advantages of e-mobility can therefore be fully utilised when usingtheMANeTGE.Theadvantagesofelectricvansincludesing the MAN eTGE. Th e advantages of electric vans include notonlymeanzero emissions, butalso the lowcoststructureot only mean zero emissions, but also the low cost structure whenoperatingwithgreenelectricity.Theacquisitioncostsofthehen operating with green electricity. Th e acquisition costs of the eTGEcanbepaidoff erjustafewyearsofuse,inhisestimation.TGE can be paid off aft er just a few years of use, in his estimation. “Ife-vehiclesareproducedandsoldinevenlargerquantitiesinIf e-vehicles are produced and sold in even larger quantities in thefuture,break-evenwillbereachedevenfaster.”he future, break-even will be reached even faster.”

Forhim,itiscleartherefore:“Electricmobilitypaysoffnotonlyor him, it is clear therefore: “Electric mobility pays off not only ecologically,butalsoeconomically.Iamconvincedofthat.”cologically, but also economically. I am convinced of that.”

BVG has been operating the 5 MAN eTGEs across the cityVG has been operating the 5 MAN eTGEs across the city ofBerlinsince the endof2018, onthe roadeverydayintwof Berlin since the end of 2018, on the road every day in two- s mode. Thhift mode. Theytransportinternalcompanymailordrive to ey transport internal company mail or drive to stations,tracksandotherlocationsforserviceandmaintenancetations, tracks and other locations for service and maintenance work. e service vans are equipped with racking systems inork. Th e service vans are equipped with racking systems in the cargo areato transporttools, spare parts andmaterials inhe cargo area to transport tools, spare parts and materials in anorderlyandsafemanner.Evenheavytramandundergroundn orderly and safe manner. Even heavy tram and underground railwayaxlesreachtheirdestinationviaMANeTGE.Thailway axles reach their destination via MAN eTGE. Th e 100 kWelectric motor always provides sufficient electrical powerW electric motor always provides suffi cient electrical power andberechargedthroughBVG’sACchargingstationswith11nd be recharged through BVG’s AC charging stations with 11 kWforeachelectricvehicle,sothatthebattW for each electric vehicle, so that the batterycanbecharged ery can be charged rightaftertheshiftight aft er the shift .

HighdrivingcomfortintheMANeTGEigh driving comfort in the MAN eTGE

“With a range ofaround 120 kilometres in urban operation,With a range of around 120 kilometres in urban operation, wearedoingprettywell,”reportedfleetmanagerDanielDech.e are doing prett y well,” reported fl eet manager Daniel Dech. Thisisveryimportant, becauseastopoverataquickcharging is is very important, because a stopover at a quick charging station is often not possible. “The drivers want to park thetation is oft en not possible. “Th e drivers want to park the vehicles directlyat the place ofoperation so that theydo notehicles directly at the place of operation so that they do not havetocarryfartoolsandmaterials,”hesaid.ave to carry far tools and materials,” he said.

The emission free eTGE has another particular advantage in e emission free eTGE has another particular advantage in wintertimes:“Thepre-climatecontrolregulatesthetemperatureinter times: “Th e pre-climate control regulates the temperature beforethestart,whilethevanisplugged-in.Andwecanruntheefore the start, while the van is plugged-in. And we can run the airconditioningandenginewithoutexhaustemissionsandnoiseir conditioning and engine without exhaust emissions and noise evenwhenthevehicleisatastandstill,”explainedDaniel.ven when the vehicle is at a standstill,” explained Daniel.

Fromadriverpointofview,theelectricvansgetcomplimentaryrom a driver point of view, the electric vans get complimentary feedback. “Theedback. “TheMANeTGEdrivesveryquietlyandsmoothly. e MAN eTGE drives very quietly and smoothly. The acceleration is clearly noticeable. Before a traffic light, I e acceleration is clearly noticeable. Before a traffi c light, I letthevanrolloutgentlyandrecoverenergyforthebatterybyet the van roll out gently and recover energy for the batt ery by recuperation.”ThisishowDanielDechdescribedhisimpressionsecuperation.” Th is is how Daniel Dech described his impressions ofthe MANeTGE. Danielwas one ofthe leaddrivers duringf the MAN eTGE. Daniel was one of the lead drivers during the test and transfer trial programme. “In terms of drivinghe test and transfer trial programme. “In terms of driving dynamics,thee-vehicleisinnowaybehindcombustionengineynamics, the e-vehicle is in no way behind combustion engine versions,”emphasisedDaniel,clearingupawidespreadprejudiceersions,” emphasised Daniel, clearing up a widespread prejudice againste-mobility.gainst e-mobility.

Meanwhile, BVG fleet manager Heinrich Coenen is workingeanwhile, BVG fl eet manager Heinrich Coenen is working on further improving the general conditions for the use ofn further improving the general conditions for the use of e-mobility.TogetherwithothercompaniessuchasStromnetz-mobility. Together with other companies such as Stromnetz BerlinandBerlinerStadtreinigung(BSR), BVG has launchederlin and Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR), BVG has launched theSmarteFleetsresearchproject.Together,theprojectpartnershe Smart eFleets research project. Together, the project partners arebuildingupcarpoolsharingandanetworkoffastchargingre building up carpool sharing and a network of fast charging points inorderto be able to use e-commercialvehicles atanyoints in order to be able to use e-commercial vehicles at any time,evenduringpeakperiods.Heinrichisalsopushingaheadime, even during peak periods. Heinrich is also pushing ahead withinnovationsintheenergymanagementofBerlin’spublicith innovations in the energy management of Berlin’s public transport companies. His aim is to coordinate the low-costransport companies. His aim is to coordinate the low-cost availabilityofgreenelectricitywithbothe-fleetmanagementvailability of green electricity with both e-fl eet management and building management in order to optimally balancend building management in order to optimally balance environmentalfriendlinessandcostefficiency.nvironmental friendliness and cost effi ciency.

Th eetmanagerknowsfromexperience:“Inordertoconsistentlye fl eet manager knows from experience: “In order to consistently makethemostoftheadvantagesofelectromobility,companiesake the most of the advantages of electromobility, companies should not only change their vehicle portfolio, but also theirhould not only change their vehicle portfolio, but also their processes”.AtBVG,theageofsustainablesolutionshasalreadyrocesses”. At BVG, the age of sustainable solutions has already begun.