MAN Truck & Bus Middle East is highlighting its natural gas buses for public transport use at the ongoing UITP MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition in Dubai.

At the event, MAN will be discussing clean and efficient alternatives to conventional diesel vehicles, the Munich-headquartered manufacturer said.

“Urbanisation, increasing pressure on transport systems, air and noise pollution and climate change all require new solutions for urban mobility,” said Franz Freiherr von Redwitz, managing director of MAN Truck & Bus Middle East. “At MAN, we recognise these challenges and we have over the years developed a well-established industry reputation for offering environmentally friendly vehicles that also meet the standards expected by progressive public transport authorities across the Middle East.”

MAN has over half a century’s worth of experience in natural gas-powered buses, and the company’s experience with public transport authorities worldwide has proven the viability of CNG as a fuel choice, he added.

Natural gas buses are a more eco-friendly alternative to conventional diesel vehicles, and significantly undershoot current emission standards without the need for additional filter technology or operating media, MAN said in a statement. Gas-powered buses, which have no need for technical modifications, can also run on treated biogas – thus making their operation virtually CO2 neutral.

In the Middle East, the manufacturer has been commissioned in the past by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT) to conduct extensive trials of its Lion’s City CNG bus. The bus operated for eight months in the UAE along with regular diesel-powered buses. The result showed a higher exhaust gas quality compared to diesel buses, as well as less nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides and particles in the air.

In addition to being a more sustainable and cleaner fuel source, natural gas is also a more economical solution, MAN said. Over a period of ten years, a MAN Lion’s City CNG bus saves approximately 15% on life cycle costs in comparison to a diesel bus from the same model range, due to the significantly reduced fuel costs.