France – Back with a bang! Solutrans 2023 was held between 21-25 November at Eurexpo in Lyon, France. Over 1,000 exhibitors and 50,000 guests gathered for the 17^th edition of this historic show, centred around the European heavy and light commercial vehicle industry. The T&BB team decided to resist the allure of the world-famous ski slopes tucked away in the French Alps two hours east of the city, and instead, arranged a detailed show report bringing you all the latest news from the exhibition.

Truck Manufacturers

Kicking off the event, DAF Trucks NV based in Eindhoven debuted its new generation XB range. The new electric truck range included the world premiere of the 12-tonne XB Electric city distribution truck as well as the electric XBC construction truck, available in 12, 16 and 19-tonne variants. The new DAF XB Electric (7.5 up to 19 tonne GVW) will go into series production by the end of this year. The trucks are equipped with an e-motor offering nominal power of 120kW and 190kW output and nominal torque of 950 and 1,850Nm respectively (2,600 and 3,500Nm peak performance). DAF is deploying a cobalt and magnesium-free, lithium iron phosphate (LFP – Lithium Ferro Phosphate) high energy density battery pack with a configuration of 141kWh up to 282kWh. These allow XB Electric ranges of up to 350km on a single charge.

Virtual DAF stand Solutrans

The Irizar Group of Ormaiztegi displayed its second-generation all-electric ie truck. Traditionally a bus builder, the truck market is a new venture for the Spanish outfit. Offered in 4x2 or 6x2 wheel variants, the ie truck has been designed for a range of urban applications such as waste disposal, goods transportation and street sweeping, as well as construction purposes. The first deliveries are set for May 2024 and will be produced at the new truck production plant in Lazkao, Spain. According to Josu Letona, New Development Manager at Irizar, the second-generation truck is lighter (1,400 kg lighter in the 4x2 version and 2,000kg lighter in the 6x2 version), has a redesigned cab and has made significant improvements to its batteries, in terms of its energy density (third generation). Thus, this generation has been fitted with a 512-kWh battery pack that provides a 400km range on a single charge. Letona confirmed that the company had sold between 25-30 first-generation ie trucks.

Irizar stand at Solutrans 2023

Iveco’s next-generation S-Way heavy-duty truck made an appearance, featuring an all-new FPT XCursor 13 multi-fuel engine, delivering 10% fuel savings in diesel and gas. The electric version (S-eWay) offers a range of 500km on a single charge. That was not all! The press conference delivered some blockbuster news. The company is set to invest EUR 1 billion into product renewals as well as a new truck range scheduled for next year. This is the biggest single investment cycle in the company’s history.

Turkish OEM, BMC Otomotiv Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, which is headquartered in Istanbul, announced its re-entry into the European heavy truck market with the launch of its TUĞRA tractor unit. The new model, which is to be built in Izmir and available in the second half of 2024, has been designed to provide low fuel consumption at maximum engine power. The 4x2 tractor unit that was on display, is equipped with an FPT Cursor 11 ENT VI (Euro 6) six-cylinder 338 kW powered diesel engine, which offers a maximum torque of 2150 Nm and is matched with a ZF 12 TX 2210 TO automatic gearbox.

Finally, Ford Trucks of Kocaeli, Turkey, introduced the new F-Line heavy-truck series, consisting of three segments: road trucks, construction trucks, and tractors, which comprises a lineup that includes the 4x2,6x2, 8x2 road trucks, 4x2 and 6x4 tractors and 6x4 and 8x4 construction trucks. Attention was placed on developing an ergonomic cabin design, equipping the truck with connected vehicle technologies and advanced safety features, including advanced driver assistance, emergency braking system, cruise control and lane departure warning. The company expects to produce 1,000 trucks in 2024 at its plant in Kocaeli.

Additionally, Ford Trucks showcased the F-MAX SELECT, the limited version of the F-MAX, with a slightly altered engine and transmission system. Only a limited number of these trucks will be produced, 400 to be exact.

Ford stand at Solutrans

Trailer Manufacturers / Components

Moving onto the trailer builders, a series of new product developments emerged, mainly in the e-trailer segment. Krone Commercial Vehicles SE of Werlte previewed its new “eTrailer”. Developed in collaboration with fellow German company Trailer Dynamics, Krone‘s eTrailer is equipped with an electrified eAxle that recovers braking energy through recuperation, reducing the consumption of diesel and therefore the amount of CO₂ produced. According to Krone, in combination with a battery-electric tractor unit, the range of the entire system is doubled. Designed with flexibility in mind, the eTrailer can be combined with any conventional truck.

Krone stand at Solutrans

Under the theme of “Enginuity”, a comprehensive product range for the cargo transport, cold chain, and construction (tippers and platforms) sectors made its way onto the Kässbohrer Fahrzeugwerke GmbH stand. This included the SSL 38, its non-tipping silo for hefty payloads, as well as the SLA HS3, an extendable lowbed with a hydraulic gooseneck ramp, designed for the road construction sector.

Pivoting to refrigerated trailers, Jean Chereau S.A.S of Ducey, France, unveiled its SmarTrailer refrigerated semi-trailer. Scheduled to go into series production in Q1 2024, the company claims that its new range of trailers offers improvements in safety, durability, connectivity and sustainability, with energy savings of 21% compared to previous generations. This has been achieved by integrating patented design features such as insulated panels. The new refrigeration unit is multi-energy on demand meaning, it can run on diesel, biodiesel, electric, solar or hydrogen.

Chereau SmarTrailer

Making its debut at Solutrans, Turkish tanker trailer manufacturer Şahin Tanker ve Nakliyat, told T&BB that work is underway to build a new production facility in Konya, Turkey. According to Mr Selin Tümbul, sales manager at Şahin Tanker, the company has operated for over 50 years and is now the second largest tanker manufacturer in the country. Today, the company boasts a production capacity of 350 tanker trailers per year at its current facility in Konya, of which 50% are exported to 25 countries outside of Turkey.

Trax Trailers, a manufacturer primarily of platform trailers based in Luxembourg, provided an update about the company’s move to a new factory three years ago. The family-owned business, established around 36 years ago, was originally based in Athus, just over the border in Belgian Luxembourg. In 2019, the company took the decision to close down its old, “outdated” factory in Belgium, according to Frédéric Golabecki Place, commercial director at Trax Trailers. In 2020, the company moved into a new factory in Luxembourg proper, a move which was motivated by a more favourable financial and regulatory environment compared to Belgium. Trax Trailers’ new site in Luxembourg has a production capacity of 500 trailers per year, though the average yearly output is between 200 and 250 units. The company employs 100 people, of which roughly 80% are French. France is Trax Trailers’ most important market, representing 80% of its total sales.

Italian outfit, Tecnokar Trailers Srl of Spoleto, presented its trailer products at its own stand for the first time, as part of a bid to boost its presence in the French market. Giulia Lucentini, representing the exports department at Tecnokar, explained that Tecnokar trailers used to be sold exclusively in France through Legras Industries SAS, a specialist in moving-floor trailers based in Épernay. However, since the merger with Benalu last year, the exclusivity agreement between Tecnokar and Legras has lapsed. The company’s production capacity currently stands at 2,500 units per year. Recent investments made in Spoleto, including the purchase of a new site, reportedly boosted the company’s capacity by 1,000 additional units. Tecnokar generates 20% of its sales in France, making it an important market for the trailer builder. The Italian company has been selling its products in France for over a decade.

JOST of Neu-Isenburg, Hesse, Germany used Solutrans to reveal two innovations for improving trailer coupling and road safety: the JOST King Pin Finder and the Rockinger Drawbar Finder.

The JOST King Pin Finder is a new assistance system to aid the driver match the fifth wheel with the king pin. Jost explained that a camera, securely integrated into the fifth wheel coupling is used to support the coupling process by sending images to the dashboard in the driver’s cabin when driving backwards. The King Pin Finder thus provides visual assistance during coupling, allowing the driver to find the ideal coupling height as well as to manoeuvre the tractor to align the king pin more accurately; this new assistance system enhances coupling accuracy, safety and potentially, speed of operation. Jost also pointed out that the system’s intuitive handling assists drivers when changing trailers – thereby preventing accidents and damage to the fifth wheel coupling and king pin, as well as the truck and trailer.

Jost's Kin Pin Finder

The Rockinger-branded Drawbar Finder is a smart solution for the coupling process of drawbar trailers. Again, a camera is used to aid the driver during the coupling process: A camera sits in a central and protected position above the towing hitch, functioning, JOST explains, as an extra set of eyes to prevent misalignment of the drawbar eye. By providing both horizontal and vertical guidance, it enables precise coupling, which in turn raises efficiency and helps prevent accidents. The driver, Jost claims, no longer needs to get out of the truck to check that the drawbar eye is aligned correctly. It is therefore a practical tool for coupling processes, which is a particular advantage when using central axle trailers.

Rockinger Drawbar Finder

In terms of other trailer components, the Pommier Group of Cergy-Pontoise, France, premiered its latest generation of underrun bars and remote-controlled door handles for semi-trailers. The ‘X-Fold P94’, one of the latest products in Pommier’s ‘R58-03’ range of underrun bars for semi-trailers, is a manual retractable bar with a round steel tube. A spokesman for Pommier told T&BB that the company’s latest underrun bars boast double impact resistance, making them strong enough to resist the impact of a car travelling at high speed. The stress resistance of the X-Fold P94 is up to 10 tonnes.

Tyre Manufacturers

The show attracted all the big guns from the tyre manufacturing industry with Hankook Tire & Technology of Seongnam-si, South Korea, launching its first EV-specific developed CV tyre prototype, the e-SMaRT AU56 City. Set to go into series production in Q2 2024, the first tyres to roll off the production line will be 275/70 R22.5 tyres, designed for the urban electric bus market.

According to Guy Heywood, Vice President of TBR Sales, Marketing and Strategy at Hankook Tire Europe, this is the first tyre specifically designed for the EV Commercial Vehicle (CV) tyre market. Evidently, the demands on an EV-specific CV tyre are different to that of an internal combustion engine CV tyre. This is mainly due to the additional capacity needed to carry the extra weight coming from the EV batteries. Besides the higher load capacity, EV vehicles have a much higher torque than their ICE counterparts, meaning that EV tyres require a higher level of grip. The e-SMaRT tyres have been designed with low rolling resistance in mind, optimising battery life and therefore vehicle mileage. In order to achieve all of this, a combination of new materials have been used to increase the tyre mileage and reduce the rolling resistance. The 3D printed mould has altered the tread patterns, which delivers much better tyre grip and traction.

The Hankook e-SMaRT AU56 City EV tyre at Solutrans

Japanese tyre manufacturer, Bridgestone Corporation, debuted its new-generation long-haul HGV truck tyre range, Ecopia Enliten. The company said this product range has been developed to maximise fleet efficiency through enhanced wear and reduced rolling resistance, year-round. The new Bridgestone Ecopia Steer Enliten and Ecopia Drive Enliten tyres are available from January 2024 in size 315/70 R22.5. Four additional sizes will be added next year and one further size in 2025. Bridgestone will add the Ecopia Enliten trailer tyre in Q4 2024. These tyres will be produced in Stargard, Poland and Bilbao, Spain. The Ecopia design incorporates new innovations, including high-performance compounds and low-energy pattern designs focused on fuel efficiency. A lightweight casing and a new spiral-belt construction increase cornering power and optimise pressure distribution to improve wear life. These innovations cut costs and CO2 emissions, while giving it an EU-label A-grade certification with a 10% rolling resistance reduction compared to previous generations. The tyre also features an EU-label B for wet grip and a 3PMSF marking, meaning that the tyre is suitable in all seasons. The tyre range is equipped with RFID, meaning it is ready to be fitted with tyre-mounted sensors. 

On its stand, Akron, Ohio-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company used the exhibition to unveil a new generation Kmax truck tyre range with new sizes available from Q1 2024. The new Kmax S (steer) and D (drive) Generation Two 17.5 and 19.5 were on display at the show. According to Goodyear, this second-generation Kmax range has enhanced fuel efficiency, due to a lighter casing and new enhanced compounds. Furthermore, Goodyear displayed its Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as well as its drive-over tyre inspection system that reads tyre condition, known as CheckPoint. This all-forms part of Goodyear’s Total Mobility solutions that integrate web and mobile applications to its existing product range, to maximise fleet efficiency, productivity and reduce the TCO for fleet operators.

Indian manufacturer Apollo Tyres Ltd of Gurugram, launched the second generation EnduRace RAT 2 truck tyre range, with a revised tread design, a lighter weight casing and improved materials that the company claims, provide better grip, durability and handling. Available in 315/70 size for 22.5-inch rims, Apollo claims the tyre offers a 5% increase in mileage and a 10% increase in rolling resistance and traction when compared with its previous generation of tyres. The product will go into series production in Hungary in Q1 2024.

Apollo stand at Solutrans

Staying with tyres, but moving to software, the Michelin Group of Clermont-Ferrand officially launched its ‘Connected Mobility’ service, incorporating tyre provision, digital management tools, and tyre maintenance. The French company’s “turnkey” service comprises four separate offerings, provided in a single package. Through Connected Mobility, customers can (1) procure new tyres; (2) access services to maintain and optimise their tyres; (3) use Michelin’s fleet management platform, called ‘Connected Fleet’; and (4) use a new digital tool called ‘Smart Predictive Tire’. With Michelin Smart Predictive Tire, fleet managers receive notifications on the health of their tyres. In cases of abnormal pressure or temperatures, or significant wear and tear, managers are alerted to take action. In addition, Smart Predictive Tire produces a weekly report on fleet tyres, with recommendations for predictive maintenance to minimise vehicle downtime.

Michelin’s ‘QuickScan’ technology is a tyre pressure monitoring system which automatically assesses tyre health and provides data to Smart Predictive Tire in real time. Michelin’s Connected Mobility service has already been deployed in Spain and Portugal earlier this year and will be rolled out in France and other countries next year.

Aftermarket

Moving into the aftermarket segment, Austrian lighting specialist, Aspöck Systems GmbH of Peuerbach, added a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to its portfolio, which is set to go to market in Q1 2024. This product will initially go to market directly through contracts with OEMs. Plenty of development has gone into the ease of mounting the communicative sensors, which are attached to the rim of the tyre for monitoring the precise temperature and pressure. If the pressure is below normal, the driver is warned on the display screen inside the cab. This safety system is designed to reduce the risk of accidents, whilst also extending the service life of the tyre and minimise fuel costs (and CO2 emissions) by optimising the tyre's pressure and therefore performance. The system is compatible with all the major EBS system producers, a major advantage over the competition, but it's certainly its auto-pairing module that will make all the difference to fleets. This auto-pairing module will auto-locate the wheel sensors when the wheels on the same vehicle are swapped, thereby avoiding the need to use diagnostic and/or parameter-setting tools. Aspöck’s TPMS complies with UN ECE-R 141 and the European General Safety Regulation (GSR).

Spanish connectivity and digitalisation specialist Cojali S.L.,based in Campo de Criptana, displayed its latest diagnostics and telematics systems from its brand, Jaltest Telematics. These fleet management systems have been designed for commercial vehicle fleets and predominantly deal with predictive maintenance through remote diagnostics tools. This aims to maximise fleet optimisation by reducing potential vehicle downtime.

The Jaltest Diagnostics AR prototype which was also on display, is a diagnostics system that integrates augmented reality glasses, allowing technicians to analyse issues remotely with a vehicle’s electronic units without being on-site. All of the technical information and assistance documents will be displayed through the functionality of the hands-free AR-powered glasses, with the aim of decreasing repair time and thus vehicle downtime. As mentioned previously, this product is still very much in the prototype development stage and no dates for production or launch have been given.

Jaltest Diagnostics AR

Miscellaneous news

In other news, executives from Finnish electric charging provider, Kempower OYJ, based in Lahti, discussed its new megawatt charging systems, designed to charge high-powered EVs such as electric HGV trucks. The high-powered 1 MW chargers are expected to go into series production in late 2024 and initially, will be rolled out in Finland and then later to other parts of Continental Europe. This new charging solution has been built using Kempower’s proprietary technology, including its liquid-cooled charging plug and two 600 kW power units, all developed in-house.

Kempower stand at Solutrans

Staying with megawatt charging, Milence BV (the Volvo-Daimler-Traton joint venture) based in Amsterdam, presented a prototype charger for fast megawatt charging of heavy electric trucks. The company presented the initial result of a collaborative project with sustainable energy firm Hitachi Energy Ltd of Zürich, Switzerland. The prototype Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is intended to fully recharge a heavy-duty truck in 30-40 minutes, allowing a driver to charge his vehicle up and obtain up to 500 kilometres additional range during his statutory 45-minute break. The prototype is due to undergo testing over the next several months, with the aim of reaching a charging capacity of 1,000 A using the ISO15118-20 communication (i.e., the standard relating to vehicle-to-grid communication interfaces).

Closing the show, Telma SAS of Saint-Ouen l’Aumône, France, presented a demonstration truck installed with its “hybrid induction brake” system which recovers braking energy for auxiliary power generation. The truck parked at Telma’s stand, an Iveco 3.5t ‘Daily’ with refrigerated box body, was tilted on its right-hand side to allow visitors, with the aid of a mirror, to see the Telma light-hybrid system installed under the chassis (see picture below). Telma’s system, which includes a retarder and generator, occupies the same space as a conventional retarder and weighs roughly the same. The system is connected to a 10-kWh battery pack, which stores the electrical energy recovered from waste heat energy generated by braking.

With Telma’s system, operators can “hybridise” any light-duty diesel vehicle. According to Telma’s own estimates, up to 15% fuel savings can be achieved with a braking system that does not emit any fine particulates. The TCO payback for installing the light-hybrid system is three years, according to Telma.

A Telma spokesman told T&BB that the light-hybrid system is designed for integration in diesel vehicles only. The company has not yet integrated it with an electric equivalent, but theoretically the system could be used in tandem with an electric driveline in order to reduce energy consumption and increase the vehicle’s range. T&BB was also told that Telma is working on applications up to 19 tonnes and is “in discussions” regarding integration with truck-trailer combinations. The demonstration truck project was carried out in partnership with Iveco and Petit Forestier – specialists in refrigerated goods transport.

Demonstrator truck with Telma's hybrid induction braking system