Oktay to lead board of Europe’s bus and coach manufacturers

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has appointed Barbaros Oktay as chairperson of its bus and coach division.

Oktay, who is currently the head of bus at MAN Truck & Bus, was elected by members of ACEA’s bus and coach division, which brings together Europe’s five main bus and coach manufacturers: Daimler Truck, Iveco Group, MAN Truck & Bus, Scania, and Volvo Group.

He succeeds Till Oberwörder, CEO of Daimler Buses.

“The city bus is the most decarbonised segment across the entire European automotive industry,” said Oktay. “At the same time, the daily lives of millions of Europeans would be hard to imagine without buses.

“That is why it is particularly important for legislators, when introducing new regulations, to bear in mind that anyone who wants socially sustainable mobility in cities and regions from Portugal to Poland, from Sweden to Sicily, must not weaken the competitiveness of European bus manufacturers. We need stronger political backing for competitiveness and innovative strength.”

Despite positive market developments, Oktay said infrastructure remains a key challenge. While electrification in the city bus segment is already well advanced, there is still a significant gap – particularly in charging infrastructure for long-distance coaches.

The bus sector is therefore calling for targeted policy support to deploy a Europe-wide, high-performance charging network for coaches, especially at transport hubs, long-distance bus terminals, tourist hotspots, and along major intercity routes.

“Without a comprehensive and high-performance charging infrastructure for coaches, the full potential of electromobility in long-distance transport cannot be realised,” Oktay emphasised. “The policy choices made in the coming years will be decisive in determining how quickly and successfully this transition unfolds.”