Transport group, Keolis, having already established full electric bus rapid transport systems in several French cities, has inaugurated the first 100% hydrogen fuelled BRT system using eight 18m fuel cell powered articulated vehicles from Van Hool in the city of Pau.

‘Road’ was the name of a collaborative project with refrigerated trailer specialist, Jean CHEREAU SAS, four industrial partners and some institutional partners initiated to develop the reefer semi-trailer of the future: It was a three year project representing an investment of EUR5.5m that this has resulted in a four new products or areas of improvement for the Avranches-based company.

SAF-Holland GmbH has opened its new production plant in Yangzhou.

Tata Steel Europe is now manufacturing an abrasion resistant steel called Valast 450 specially developed for the construction industry involving rugged applications such as tipper bodies for trucks and trailers, bodies on refuse collection vehicles and excavator buckets.

Jacobs Vehicle Systems, a manufacturer of heavy-duty diesel engine retarding and valve actuation systems, has shipped its first engine brake from its newly opened European facility, near Brno.

Hydraulic crane and hook-loader specialist, Hyva Global BV recently opened its new service and maintenance workshop in Apeldoorn.

ION Energy, a recent start-up company, specializing in battery management systems and energy diagnostic solutions, has been engaged to supply its technology to another relatively new company in France, IBS Technologies.

Meritor India Ltd has inaugurated an axle assembly facility and research and development centre at Automotive Axles in Mysore.

Akasol AG, a manufacturer of high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for commercial vehicles, is to open a production facility in Detroit, Michigan, USA next year .

VDL Bus & Coach NV at Busworld Europe in Brussels last month announced plans to build a new factory in Roeselare dedicated for producing electric and hybrid electric buses.

School bus and truck builder, Navistar Inc of Lisle, Illinois is investing more than USD250m to build a new Class 6-8 truck manufacturing facility in San Antonio, Texas.

Battery producer, Akasol, which recently opened a new European HQ in Darmstadt, said its future flagship high-energy battery AKASystem AKM CYC, will be produced at Darmstadt, with start of production in 2021 and at its new US headquarters in Detroit starting in 2022 as part of a recently agreed production order from a global commercial vehicle manufacturer.