MAN invests €300 million in service network with focus on e-mobility
MAN aims to strengthen customer loyalty and attract new clients through expanded service offerings. The truck and bus manufacturer plans to grow its European service network, modernise existing sites and further improve service quality. Around one-third of the investment – roughly €100 million – will be allocated to electromobility and digitalisation by 2030. The funding is being freed up through savings under the ‘MAN2030+’ programme announced in January, which is intended to reduce costs and enable investments in growth and innovation.
A closer look at the e-mobility plans reveals MAN’s commitment to making its ‘sales and service locations fit for sustainable mobility.’ By the end of this year, two out of three service centres are set to be ‘prepared for e-mobility’. This includes, for example, staff training: “Around 8,000 employees, from sales representatives to high-voltage mechanics, are undergoing further intensive training on the subject of e-mobility,” MAN states. In Germany, for instance, the budget for additional e-mobility training will be doubled, supported by the new investment programme.
In addition, MAN plans to establish more of its own battery repair centres. Such facilities already exist in Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, and Austria (with Austria also serving as a hub for neighbouring countries the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary). Additional countries will be connected within the coming months. Through partnerships, this already applies to Sweden and will soon extend to the Netherlands, according to MAN. By 2030, the network of battery repair centres is set to expand and densify to cover all European markets.
MAN is also pressing ahead with the development of its proprietary charging network in collaboration with energy group E.On. As part of the project announced in 2024, numerous MAN service locations will be equipped with publicly accessible charging points for electric trucks. The partners aim to install up to 400 charging points at up to 170 locations across Europe, including up to 125 sites in Germany alone. MAN highlights operational sites such as Berlin-Wildau, Fürstenwalde, and Karlsfeld in Germany, as well as Eugendorf in Austria and Čestlice in the Czech Republic. “Further stations will be opened in various markets later this year,” the manufacturer states, without providing further details at this stage.
MAN says the €300 million investment in its European service network is intended to further strengthen customer loyalty. According to the company, it will commit more funding to this area by 2030 than ever before.
MAN already operates an extensive service and sales network across Europe, with around 1,200 company-owned and partner-run locations and roughly 7,000 employees at MAN-operated sites. Through its breakdown and mobility service MAN Mobile24, about 2,000 MAN service centres and partners provide customer support across the region. In Germany alone, the MAN service network includes more than 340 company-owned and partner-operated service locations.
Friedrich Baumann, Executive Board Member for Sales and Customer Solutions at MAN, explained why the company is investing heavily in its service network despite stringent cost-cutting measures, including job reductions: “A strong brand needs a strong service network. We have that – and we are now making it even stronger. Alongside our sales team, our workshops are our public face for our customers. Our strong network is a competitive advantage. We want to expand it further. That is why we are investing heavily here over the next few years, because the combination of product, service, and good quality will become even more important in the coming years, especially against the backdrop of new competitors.”
The new competitors likely refer to the announced Chinese brands in the truck sector. In the bus segment, brands like Yutong and BYD have already been competitive for some time. “We want to set ourselves apart even more clearly and establish ourselves as a sustainable player,” Baumann added. “The commercial vehicle business is significantly more complex and service-intensive than the passenger car business. The daily availability of vehicles is essential for our customers’ businesses. To be successful, we need to be very close to our customers and offer top-notch service.”
The manufacturer is also defining concrete targets for its service network. For example, MAN aims for nearly 80 per cent of customers to be able to reach the nearest service location within a 30-minute drive. Priority markets where this target is to be achieved before 2030 include Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Poland and Turkey. In particularly logistics-intensive regions, the company plans to establish additional service centres to meet this goal. “We are opening an average of seven new branches per year in these countries,” said Baumann.
Alongside the investment announcement, MAN also presented its annual report for 2025 on Wednesday. Revenue at MAN Truck & Bus SE remained largely stable at €14.1 billion (+3 per cent year-on-year), while vehicle sales rose slightly to 101,600 units (+6 per cent). The growth was mainly driven by strong demand for buses and vans, while truck demand in core European markets remained stable but at a relatively low level in 2025.
Electric commercial vehicles recorded significant growth during the year, with sales increasing by 168 per cent to almost 1,970 units. The bus division delivered more than 1,300 electric city buses in 2025 (+118 per cent year-on-year). In addition, around 620 electric trucks were sold, representing even stronger growth in that segment, albeit from a smaller base. This reflects MAN’s ongoing ramp-up, as the new generation of electric trucks has been in series production at the Munich plant since mid-2025.
Further additions to the electric portfolio are planned this year. MAN intends to launch the eTGL in the 12-tonne segment and another fully electric model in the up-to-16-tonne class during 2026. By the end of the year, the MAN eCoach – a battery-electric coach announced nearly a year ago – is also expected to join the lineup.
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