Build it and they will come. This is the approach being taken by the Moroccan government to grow its automotive industry, which is the largest in Africa but still modest by global standards. The kingdom already has major plants owned by Renault and Stellantis, alongside components production from European, American, and Japanese firms. Relying on foreign companies to do all the work can have variable outcomes, however: for example, a new EV plant which was proposed by Chinese automaker BYD in 2017 has failed to materialise.

The exhibition, which took place from the 6th to the 7th of September, attracted over 150 exhibitors involved in low-carbon mobility. The exhibition had a small collection of companies dedicated to the commercial vehicle market sector.

The XB and XB Electric are set to replace the LF and LF Electric, with the XB Electric expected to go into series production in week 45, 2023, in Eindhoven.

The IE-Drive 100 hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) utilises the company’s “patented evaporatively cooled (EC) technology”, whilst the hydrogen fuel cell stack delivers 155kW of power. In terms of the architecture, the design is centred around ‘blending’ the desired performance with the space constraints of LCVs. IE stated the HFC is currently being tested with various UK partners.

Following the framework sale of the e-Jest electric shuttle bus in the right-hand drive market in Japan earlier this year - Karsan is now exploring entry into the UK market with first deliveries planned for 2024.

Speaking with Deniz Cetin, Chief Commercial Officer at Karsan Automotive & Board Member at Group Companies at Cenex (2023), T&BB was informed that Karsan has bid on autonomous electric bus contracts (tenders) in Spain, Israel, Qatar and Canada. Deniz confirmed that Karsan recently delivered an autonomous bus to Istanbul which comes off the back of two successful autonomous bus trials in Norway and the USA.

The new test centre, jointly operated by FEV Group, in Oued Zem complements two cold weather sites in Finland, north of the Arctic Circle.

French group, UTAC CERAM and British test engineering group, Millbrook Proving Ground Ltd, both key engineering partners to automotive customers in Europe and around the world, plan to merge operations to create a market leading group in vehicle testing, homologation, and emerging technologies for autonomous, connected, and electric vehicles.