Munich's Football Stadium to Build Charging Hub for Electric Trucks and Buses
MAN Truck & Bus and FC Bayern Munich are collaborating to establish 30 public charging points for electric trucks and buses at the Allianz Arena. Additionally, FC Bayern plans to upgrade to an all-electric MAN bus as their official team vehicle by 2026.
Image: MAN
The partners announced that the 30 charging points will be built in the southern bus parking lot of the stadium, with construction happening in three phases. These chargers will be a combination of CCS and MCS units. While no specific timeline for completion has been provided, the goal is to eventually accommodate up to 500 electric trucks and buses charging daily on non-match days.
The project was officially launched with the support of Bavarian Minister President Markus Söder. MAN highlighted that large stadiums like the Allianz Arena have robust power grids that are mostly underutilized outside of match days, making them ideal locations for commercial vehicle charging parks. The arena's proximity to Munich's North motorway junction, which sees around 10,000 trucks daily, adds to its strategic advantage.
In preparation for the future, FC Bayern is planning to integrate electric buses into its fleet. Starting in the 2025/26 season, MAN will provide the club with its first all-electric team bus. The bus is expected to handle trips to the stadium for home matches and is part of the team's long-standing partnership with MAN, which began in 2008 and has now been extended through 2027.
While electric long-distance coaches are still uncommon due to their need for flexible charging solutions, this project represents an important step forward. Unlike city buses, which can be easily charged at depots, long-distance coaches require high-power charging at various locations. This challenge is similar to that faced by long-haul electric trucks, which are also just reaching market readiness.
As for the charging hardware, MAN and FC Bayern have not disclosed their supplier, but digital renderings suggest they will use ABB's Terra HP fast-charging stations. The charging hub will run exclusively on green energy, aligning with the club's sustainability efforts.
MAN's Transport Solutions division, which specializes in eMobility solutions, has been heavily involved in the project, advising on depot charging since 2018. "The charging park at the Allianz Arena will be a flagship project," said Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus. He emphasized that decarbonizing vehicle fleets is key to meeting climate goals, with half of MAN's trucks expected to be electric by 2030. The company is also working with E.ON to set up a public charging network across Europe.
FC Bayern's CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen, emphasized the club's commitment to sustainability, noting that the public charging hub is a continuation of efforts to manage the stadium in a climate-friendly way.
Beyond the Allianz Arena project, MAN's charging network initiative includes plans to build fast chargers at 170 locations across Europe, with a focus on Germany. The first station is expected to go live this year, with 80 sites operational by the end of 2025. Additionally, MAN is collaborating with Daimler Truck and Volvo Group on the Milence joint venture, which aims to establish 1,700 fast-charging points for electric trucks.
These efforts align with Germany's and the EU's ambitious climate goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road freight by 55% in Germany by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. The EU has also set a target to reduce CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles by 65% by 2035 and by 90% by 2040 compared to 2019 levels.
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