Barbaros Oktay appointed new ACEA Bus Chair
Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, has been elected as the new chair of the ACEA Bus and Coach division for a one-year term.
7,000+
118%
1,300+
What Happened
The European bus manufacturers organized under ACEA have elected Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, as the new chairman for the Bus and Coach division. His one-year term begins immediately, at a time when bus electrification is rapidly advancing and new European regulations, such as proposed 'Buy European' rules, are shaping the industry. During his tenure, Oktay will represent European bus manufacturers' interests to policymakers in Brussels.
Barbaros Oktay begins his career at MAN Truck & Bus in Ankara.
Oktay becomes Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus.
MAN achieves over 7,000 bus sales, with electric city bus sales up 118% to over 1,300 units.
Oktay appointed ACEA Bus Chair; MAN announces Lion's Coach E electric coach for end of 2026.
“The city bus is the most decarbonized segment in the entire European automotive industry. At the same time, daily life for millions of Europeans is hardly conceivable without the bus. That is why it is especially important that legislators consider: whoever wants social, sustainable mobility in cities and regions from Portugal to Poland, from Sweden to Sicily, must not undermine the competitivenes”
118%year-over-year
MAN sold over 1,300 electric city buses in 2025, a new record.
Why this matters
The appointment comes at a critical time as the bus industry accelerates electrification and faces new EU 'Buy European' regulations that could impact competitiveness. Oktay will be the key voice for European bus manufacturers to policymakers in Brussels.
Terms in This Story
- ACEA
- European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, a lobby group for car, truck, and bus makers in the EU.
- Buy European rules
- Proposed EU procurement rules that would require a high percentage of European content in products sold through public tenders.
- Industrial Accelerator Act
- EU legislation aimed at boosting industrial competitiveness, including 'Buy European' provisions.
- Electromobility
- The use of electric vehicles and related charging infrastructure as an alternative to internal combustion engines.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.