Schmitz began production of its own axles at the Altenberge plant in 2004: since then, it has manufactured 2 million of them, installing them on trailers made in Altenberge or shipping them to its other trailer plants in Europe and Turkey.

Starting in late 2024, ZF will provide its CeTrax 2 dual electric central drive, which is designed for heavy-duty trucks, including Ford Trucks' electric rigid truck (F-Line E). This drive offers two electric motors with a continuous power of 380 kW and a peak torque of 24,700 Nm, enabling efficient and powerful performance.

Carrying up to seventy-one passengers, the bus offers a range of up to 360 kilometres with an installed capacity of 350 kilowatt-hours.

The 2025 version of the ‘SV Stepvan’ now comes with two new wheelbase options: 158 inches and 208 inches, in addition to the original 178-inch configuration.

The American manufacturer announced in September that it is adding two new third-party options to its semi-trailers: a lightweight brake drum from Accuride; and a liftgate battery charger from Schmitz Cargobull’s North American joint venture with Utility.

The B4 Chassis Cab electric truck has entered into series production at Bollinger’s facility in Livonia, Michigan. The B4 is a Class 4 medium-duty electric truck, specifically designed for the commercial fleet market.

The German manufacturer recently unveiled three new fire trucks: two with corrosion-resistant aluminium bodies, one with a body optimised for airport applications, and all with new driver display systems in the cab.

“By partnering with Phillips Connect, we are integrating innovative real-time tractor-trailer pairing validation directly into any workflow app, scaling a fleet’s existing setup without the need for complex change,” said Jake Fields, co-founder and CTO of Platform Science.

The single stack fuel cell is aimed at the heavy-duty CV market, including refuse vehicles. Hyzon says the new 200kW system is a major improvement over previous versions, offering 20% more range per kilogram of hydrogen compared with the 120kW model and reducing both volume and weight by about roughly 30%.

Ovarith Troeung of CEO HFC retrofit company cautioned that the company is still waiting for the “market to mature” before ramping up production. Evidently, it has learnt from the litany of startup vehicle companies that have gone bust over the last few years.

T&BB caught up with the CEO and co-founder Dr James Widmer at the show. Widmer claims that the electric motor offers all the performance and efficiency benefits of a conventional permanent magnet motor without their considerable environmental drawbacks.

At IAA Transportation 2024, held between 17-22 September in Hanover, Germany, the vehicle manufacturers said in unison to delegates: “We are ready for the transition to electric vehicles. Now we are waiting for the market to follow.” Maxion Wheels had a similar message for its OEM customers: “We are ready. Everything is developed. We know how to do it.”At its stand, the company showcased a range of different wheels, from sustainable steel to light electric urban to forged aluminium – this last type being shown to the public for the very first time since Maxion announced its intention to enter this market segment at IAA Transportation 2022. But Maxion’s execs were keen to stress that the company’s moves to support electric vehicles and sustainability are not disruptive; rather, these initiatives are in keeping with a longstanding “culture of innovation” at Maxion.