The European bus manufacturers organized under the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) have appointed Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, as the new chairman for the bus and coach sector. His mandate will last one year. He takes over at a decisive stage, as the electrification of the bus market continues to gain significant momentum and new European regulations – such as the planned “Buy Europe” requirements – are having a major impact on the industry’s future development.
“The city bus is the segment within the entire European automotive industry that is the most decarbonized. It is particularly important that legislators take the following into account when drafting new regulations: Those who want social, sustainable mobility in cities and regions from Portugal to Poland, from Sweden to Sicily, must not undermine the competitiveness of European bus manufacturers. We need more political support for competitiveness and innovation,” stated Barbaros Oktay upon his appointment. At the heart of the Industrial Accelerator Act recently presented by the European Commission are so-called “Buy European regulations.” According to the plans only manufacturers with a high proportion of European products in their value chain will be allowed to sell buses in Europe through public tenders. Significant changes are expected in the legislative process now getting underway. Barbaros Oktay says: “In principle, European bus manufacturers welcome the ‘Buy European’ requirements. However, the proposed plans are likely to lead to
significant bureaucracy. And we want to invest our resources more wisely in the further development of products that benefit our customers and make transportation even more sustainable and better.” While electrification is already well advanced in the city bus segment, there is still a significant need to catch up, particularly with regard to the charging infrastructure for coaches. The bus industry is therefore calling for targeted political support to establish a Europe-wide, high-performance charging infrastructure for coaches, particularly at transportation hubs, long-distance bus terminals, tourist hotspots, and along major long-distance routes. “Without a comprehensive and high-performance charging infrastructure for coaches, the full potential of electric mobility in long-distance transport cannot be realized,” emphasizes Oktay. “The policy decisions made in the coming years will be decisive in determining how quickly and successfully the transformation takes place.”