CITY BUS WITH A VIEW: MAN LION’S INTERCITY LE NOW ALSO COMES IN A CITY VERSION WITH MAN EFFICIENTHYBRID

Modern urban traffic comes in all shapes and sizes, especially when it crosses narrow city limits. For this reason, more and more public transport operators are going with the more cost-effective Low Entry design over expensive low-floor technology. With decades of experience in this segment, and based on the latest MAN Lion's Intercity series and the innovative Lion's City bus, MAN Truck & Bus has managed to design and market a modern entry-level model that meets all those demands - in City use too. Since the launch of the Intercity model in autumn 2021, several hundred new Low Entry buses have already been ordered throughout Europe, to name one the order from DB Regio for 940 MAN buses (Lion’s City and Lion’s Intercity LE) by 2026, highlighting the importance of tendering for the model. New markets for the Lion’s Intercity LE include Spain, Israel and Morocco.

The new Lion has already gained something of a reputation on the public stage: first of all, there was the the iF Design Award in the “Product/Automobiles/Vehicles” category, which MAN was able to bring back to Munich for the Lion’s Intercity LE in May this year. In Spain, the vehicle was named “Bus of the Year in Spain” at the 2022 National Transport Awards in Madrid, and winner of the intercity bus category at the German ETM Awards. It has also been awarded the Sustainability Award from Munich-based publisher Huss-Verlag and is currently one of the finalists of the “Sustainable Bus Awards 2023” before an internationally renowned jury.

Three practical lengths for City use
The two City versions Lion’s Intercity LE 12 (32 C with 12.44 metres) and Lion’s Intercity LE 13 (33 C with 13.14 metres) are set to complete the existing model range at the beginning of 2023. The proven MAN EfficientHybrid system taken from the new City bus generation is being launched at the same time. The two 14.46 metre long three-axle Lion's Intercity LE 14 (34 C/44 C) models will follow in the third production phase in 2024, offering a particularly large passenger capacity and high weight reserves.

The City version of the Lion's Intercity LE (32C/33C/34C) has a platformless design in the low floor area, and is equipped with 275/70 R22.5 tyres (320 mm entry height) throughout. The City version can carry up to 107 passengers and is optimised for standing.

Modern ceiling handrails or optionally height-adjusted luggage racks in open or closed versions are available for all Lion’s Intercity LE vehicles. “MAN Intercity Basic” seats are installed in the Intercity version. Three-point belts are also available depending on the class. Three City seats with differing finishes and upholstery are available for the City version. The optional “MAN City Comfort” seating variant is also available with a lap belt. The City version features double-leaf inward-swinging front and centre doors as standard. There are two-leaf electric swing/sliding doors from the MAN technology kit, optional for all Lion’s Intercity LEs. These are especially quiet and inconspicuous when opening and closing.

“Smart Edge” design for a pleasant city look
The modern “Smart Edge” design, which first appeared on the Lion’s coach in 2017, clearly identifies the Lion’s Intercity LE as a new entry-level model in the current MAN family. “Smart Edge” means having consistently clear, dynamic lines, chamfers and edges throughout, though never resulting in aggressive or obtrusive shapes, but instead flowing harmoniously to create a holistic and self-contained design concept. This sympathetic design concept increases the contentment of operators, drivers and passengers alike, especially in hectic and stressful urban traffic.

Interior: Low-floor meets viewing terrace
The interior of the MAN Lion’s Intercity LE has also been completely revamped and is designed throughout for maximum customer benefit. In the consistently designed low-floor area, the City version is fully platform-free. The flexibly configurable luggage racks are height-adjusted so that smaller passengers can reach them too. The seats in the raised rear section slope gradually upwards, resulting in theatre-like seating reminiscent of premium coaches. The entire interior design is bright, silky smooth and friendly: Special attention was given to the visible surfaces which have a high-end design. A new seating concept and modern roof handrails with oval cross-section complete the interior concept. All seats and grab rails are attached to the side walls to ensure optimal floor cleaning. The new seats in this area have a modular design with seating surfaces that can easily be replaced at any time.

Thanks to the modern lighting concept with direct and continuous lighting, which is a novelty for a scheduled-service bus, the interior appears very spacious, inviting and bright. Direct LED lighting provides even illumination and creates a warm and pleasant ambience – which is just as important for inner-city traffic as in the suburbs.

Always the best climate and hygiene on-board
High-end modern ventilation and air-conditioning systems are available in different variants for the MAN Lion's Intercity. MAN Genuine antiviral interior air filters provide reliable hygienic protection. Microfilters provide active protection against the viruses by significantly reducing the concentration of virus aerosols inside the vehicle. In these times of increased hygiene requirements due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a partitioning of the driver's area comprising single-pane safety glass (ESG) or polycarbonate is also available to effectively protect the driver from any droplet infection while at work.

The Lion’s Intercity LE offers two small air-conditioning systems and feature cooling capacities of 32 and 33 kW respectively. The larger versions have capacities of 40 and 39 kW. In modern city traffic, powerful air-conditioning systems are a must and they significantly increase passenger well-being.

A modern cockpit for an entire shift
The new MAN Lion's Intercity LE provides the driver with a modern workplace which, with its elegantly curved cab door, fits perfectly into the design concept. The driver's workplace has been raised by a substantial 120 millimetres compared to a purely low-floor bus, so the driver is sitting at the passengers' eye level, which many drivers prefer today for safety reasons.

Another driver favourite: the VDV driver's workplace from the new Lion's City generation. can also be found in the new City version of the Low Entry bus. This modern, ergonomic cockpit has become a real unique selling point in the market for MAN city buses. The lower section can be adjusted together with the steering wheel to suit the driver. With a focus on ergonomics, comfort and safety, the driver's workplace has also been optimised in terms of user-friendliness thanks to the layout of its switches and instruments.

A high-resolution four-inch colour display is fitted as standard, featuring a stop menu display also as standard, which now comes in a new coach-like styling and is even easier to read. Optimised mirrors, attached to a tubular frame as standard, provide the best view to the rear and side. They are available with or without a front-end observation mirror and a separate school bus mirror at door 1, and important feature of city buses which are often used by schools.

The camera-based MAN OptiView mirror-replacement system is now also available on request. This gives the vehicle an even more modern exterior look and offers the driver the best possible visibility, especially in low-light conditions outside. It assists the driver by eliminating blind spots and significantly improving visibility at night and in bad weather. The high-resolution monitor to the right is placed far along the bus towards the driver so that it is easily visible even when passengers are boarding. In combination with the camera-based pedestrian detection when turning, this guarantees maximum safety in narrow, tricky inner cities.

Powerful and efficient: Engine with MAN EfficientHybrid
Thanks to the D1556 LOH adopted from the new City bus generation, it boasts a powerful and comfortable driveline which is just as well suited to urban traffic as it is to occasional journeys or more demanding topography. The highly efficient 9-litre 6-cylinder engine is available in 280 hp (206 kW), 330 hp (243 kW) and 360 hp (265 kW) power classes, with a maximum torque of 1,200 to 1,600 Nm. The newest generation of MAN engines are suitable for FAME fuel as well as for hydrogenated vegetable oils and synthetic fuels (XtL) without needing further adaptation.

From 2023, timed to the launch of the City version, the D15 engine for the City and Intercity variants can be optionally paired with the MAN EfficientHybrid system, which makes a significant contribution to reducing fuel consumption and thus emissions. Additionally, the standard start-stop function of the MAN EfficientHybrid ensures ultra-quiet stop phases at bus stops and traffic lights. The core of the system is the 12 kW crankshaft starter generator, an electric machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy during braking. The recuperated energy is stored in a roof-mounted UltraCap module with 40 Watt hours (Wh) of storage capacity. By reversing the way the crankshaft starter generator works, the MAN D15 engine can be restarted within just a few moments and boosted during subsequent acceleration with a maximum of 220 Nm of torque, which in turn significantly reduces loads on the engine, especially during frequent drive-off phases.

Modern automatic transmission for relaxed city touring
All MAN engines for the Lion's Intercity LE can be equipped with either the Voith DIWA.6 (four-speed) or the new ZF Ecolife 2 (six-speed) converter automatic gearbox to ensure the most efficient and relaxed running. This gearbox design is very popular with customers in the City segment, and is ideally matched to the various applications. Alongside extremely smooth gear-shifting, the energetic, uninterrupted power delivery is another impressive feature of these tried and proven automatic gearboxes.

An active running gear made from top-notch components
The running gear of the new Low Entry Intercity bus is highly sophisticated, naturally offering front independent wheel suspension which provides for a wide wheel turn angle of 56 degrees, thus ensuring a compact turning circle (53 degrees with 295/80 R 22.5 Intercity tyres). The tried and tested bus-specific MAN hypoid axle HY-1350-B-03 is used as the drive axle, and can be delivered with different final drive ratios depending on the gearbox – so nothing stands in the way of optimal adaptation to its intended use.

Just like all MAN buses, adaptive PCV (Premium Comfort Valve) shock absorbers are installed which ideally combine particularly safe and comfortable handling with low maintenance requirements. Thanks to a new oil flow design, many more parameters are available for specific tuning of each axle variant, which in turn leads to much more comfortable handling.




Comprehensive safety equipment on board
Like every MAN bus, the Lion’s Intercity LE also has comprehensive range of safety equipment. Of course, the Low Entry bus already meets the enhanced ECE R66.02 safety standard for the body thanks to its significantly reinforced rear rollover bar. It also comes with ABS/ASR, an effective brake assistant and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) as standard. During heavy emergency braking, the LED brake lights also pulse quicker. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Guard System (LGS) are optionally available for the Intercity versions in haptic or acoustic variants. For effective fire protection, all interior materials are certified in accordance with the new ECE Regulation 118.03, and a fire extinguishing system is installed as standard in the engine compartment and other neuralgic installation locations. And last but not least, all tyres and their pressures can be optionally monitored at any time using Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM).

The headlights and rear lights on the new MAN Lion's Intercity LE are examples of the high safety standards it sets. The LED rear lights come as standard equipment along with LED daytime driving lights, and the headlights are optionally also available as full LED. The LED lamps in all lighting functions not only underscore the characteristic design of the new MAN Lion's Intercity LE by creating a special lighting signature, they also contribute to safety and help reduce operating costs. They also enhance visibility: LED dipped and high-beam headlights are some 50 percent bright than halogens. LED light is also more diffuse, and has a much greater range. In addition, the bright white light is less tiring for the driver – an important safety feature for long shifts in city centres.

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