What a difference a year can make! A year ago, Truck & Bus Builder attended the “E-Bus Test” in the German city of Bonn, organised yearly by the German magazine Omnibus Spiegel. It is a fantastic opportunity for European journalists to ride on and test drive the latest electric buses, some of which have yet to launch in the market. In this regard, the 2025 edition of the e-bus test was no different. However, the outlook for the electric bus market in Europe is less certain now than it was even just twelve months ago. A representative of Stadtwerke Bonn, the operator of Bonn’s urban transport system which hosted the e-bus test at its depot, told attendees at the event that it is no longer looking for incentives to purchase electric buses from the European Union. Those dried up a while ago, and the city of Dortmund – to give just one example – has gone back to purchasing diesel buses. There is not a great deal of hope either that the new government in Germany will announce further support for electric buses and charging infrastructure.

Denis Güven (42) is to take over as the new CEO of Mercedes-Benz do Brazil in São Paulo, and will succeed Achim Puchert, who is appointed CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

The hope is that these autonomous operations will stimulate the further expansion of fuel infrastructure for hydrogen trucks, producing a “self-reinforcing cycle of vehicle adoption, infrastructure development, and lower operational costs per unit”.

A key aspect of the acquisition is a long-term agreement with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).