MAN Truck & Bus has officially commenced series production of battery packs for electric buses and trucks at its Nuremberg facility.
An opening event was held on 11 April 2025 with attendance from Bavarian Minister President Dr Markus Söder, State Minister Hubert Aiwanger, and MAN board members. At the event, the company confirmed a further 150 million EUR investment in expanding battery production, adding to the 100 million EUR already invested in the new facility.
The additional funding will support increased production capacity and greater in-house value creation. The battery packs are currently assembled from modules, but MAN also plans to begin producing the modules themselves at the site. These efforts aim to enhance the company’s expertise in battery technology and support future production needs.
Of the 150 million EUR in planned additional investment, 18 million EUR will be publicly funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the Free State of Bavaria. Bavaria is also contributing around 30 million EUR to support ongoing research in battery development, including cell chemistry, battery safety, and lifecycle analysis.
This investment secures around 400 jobs in battery production at the Nuremberg site. Employees previously working in diesel engine assembly and logistics have undergone retraining to support the transition to battery manufacturing.
MAN CEO Alexander Vlaskamp said:Today is a historic day for MAN. With the start of battery production, the company that invented the diesel engine is entering a new era. We are very proud of what we have created here in Nuremberg and what will continue to be created.
The battery packs produced in Nuremberg will be used in both buses and electric trucks. The facility can currently manufacture 50,000 units per year, with the capability to expand to 100,000 units annually, depending on market demand. Series production of MAN eTrucks, including the eTGS and eTGX, is scheduled to start at the company’s Munich plant in June 2025.
MAN uses a nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery chemistry optimised for commercial vehicle use. Each battery is managed by an internal battery management system (BMS), which oversees safety, performance, and temperature regulation. The system includes emergency shutdown features and a thermal management system to ensure safe operation in various conditions.
The production process is modular, using a flexible and fully digitalised system rather than traditional conveyor belts. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) handle the movement of materials and battery packs between stations, allowing the production line to adjust easily to different product configurations.
Each battery pack also undergoes a comprehensive final inspection. This includes software and electrical testing, data checks, and leak testing.
Minister President Dr. Markus Söder said:Electromobility made in Bavaria: this is a milestone for MAN and Bavaria as an industrial location! With a state-of-the-art site policy and great cooperation between management, works council, employees and politicians, MAN has successfully transformed itself from a former site for pure diesel engines into a state-of-the-art battery production site.
The Nuremberg site is expected to play a key role in MAN’s transition to electric mobility, with battery production forming a core part of its European operations strategy.
The site has also seen investment in traditional powertrain technology. Production of MAN’s new D30 PowerLion diesel engine began earlier in 2025, supported by a separate investment of 250 million EUR. MAN expects that diesel engines will remain relevant in certain commercial applications into the 2030s.
