70 years of MAN Munich: anniversary celebration with electric trucks and Ferris wheel!

70 years of MAN Munich: anniversary celebration with electric trucks and Ferris wheel!

On June 28, 2025, there will be a fitting celebration at the MAN plant in Munich: around 20,000 guests will gather to mark the site's 70th anniversary, including around 8,000 employees and their families. The anniversary celebration exudes an Oktoberfest atmosphere with a 40-meter-high Ferris wheel that offers space for 200 passengers and is operated by the Landwermann family of showmen. This family itself uses MAN trucks to deliver to their attractions. The Paulaner Brewery takes care of your physical well-being and also has its beer delivered using fully electric MAN trucks.

At the anniversary celebration, MAN's CEO, Alexander Vlaskamp, ​​highlighted the plant's innovative strength and adaptability. This is due not only to the impressive history of the location, which has produced a total of 1.25 million trucks, 2 million cabs and 3 million axles since it was founded in 1955, but also to current developments: Series production of the electric truck “made in Munich” has just started, another milestone in the company's more than 100-year history of truck production.

The step towards electromobility

The start of series production of electric trucks marks a historic moment for MAN, as the transition to electric mobility was successfully initiated. Diesel engines have been relied on for over 100 years, and now the company is showing with its new eTrucks that it is ready for the future. The feedback from customers is consistently positive. Drivers rave about the high torque and the comfortable, low-vibration workplace that electric vehicles offer. MAN's goal is clear: a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 compared to 2019, with almost 60% to be achieved by the end of 2024.

The electrification of the vehicle fleet plays a crucial role in the decarbonization of transport. According to a report from the VDA, around 95 percent of CO₂ emissions arise during vehicle operation. In order to further promote the change to electromobility, the industry is demanding clear framework conditions from politicians. This includes a permanent toll exemption for electric trucks and a massive expansion of the charging infrastructure by 2030, which should include 50,000 public charging points and 35,000 with megawatt charging stations.

The future in sight

With projects such as the geothermal energy project in Munich-Karlsfeld, which is intended to ensure a sustainable energy supply from 2028, MAN is showing that the path to climate neutrality is being actively pursued. The entire German automotive industry has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050 at the latest, with both electromobility and alternative drive technologies such as hydrogen and synthetic fuels playing a central role. At the same time, it is emphasized that a ban on internal combustion engines is not effective and could slow down the fleet change.

The coming challenges are clear: a sustainable mobility system must be made possible both in Germany and across Europe. The solution lies not only in producing climate-friendly vehicles, but also in providing a legal framework and an effective charging infrastructure. In order to meet the high standards of quality and climate protection, all European countries must pull together and develop creative solutions to ensure the transformation of the transport industry.