MAN rolls out battery repair network
Traton subsidiary MAN has announced that it will open a Europe-wide network of battery repair centres for its electric commercial vehicles.
Two existing centres, situated in Germany and Spain, will be followed by others in the UK, Italy, Denmark/Norway, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, France, and Poland, over the next two years, as the first battery-electric MAN heavy trucks are due to go into commercial service in the autumn of this year. MAN already has over 1,000 battery-electric buses and 2,400 battery-electric vans in service on European roads.
The company said that maintaining a closed loop in the battery supply chain is important to achieving its sustainability goals as part of the Circular Economy Strategy. The aim, says MAN, is to operate a battery repair hub in every market in which the manufacturer is represented with battery-electric commercial vehicles.
“Short transport routes and highly trained technicians on site will ensure that the battery can be repaired quickly. This minimises vehicle downtime,” said the company.
“At MAN, a battery repair centre has to meet certain criteria based on practical experience and legal standards in the respective countries. On the one hand, the appropriate high-voltage and special tools are required for handling the respective battery types of the vehicles. In addition, special protective equipment must be available for the electricians working there. The premises also fulfil certain requirements, e.g. access control, double doors, air conditioning, ventilation concept, 400 V socket and load crane.”