There was plenty to report from the 2024 edition of the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo held at the Las Vegas Convention Center between May 20-23.

With series production expected in Q4 2024, Daimler has launched the eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024 which saw two vehicles set off from Frankfurt earlier this month, intending to complete 13,000 kilometres, each with 40 tonnes of total towing weight. The trip will incorporate a wide range of topographies, routes and climate conditions, with special attention on battery performance/energy consumption.

The companies announced that they had successfully tested their integrated electric drive system on a Class 7 demonstration vehicle at Eaton’s proving grounds in Marshall, Michigan.

The truck displayed at the show was a ‘Freightliner Cascadia’ 6x2 tractor unit powered by Symbio’s 400-kW ‘StackPack’ fuel cell system - developed for the “H2 Central Valley Express” project.

The power distribution unit is designed to deliver power to all critical loads within an electric vehicle, including traction and auxiliary loads, while protecting electrical and electronic components as well as the vehicle occupants from high voltages.

The partners announced that they are already testing the truck in the U.S., being the first Level 4 self-driving test on a Class 8 fuel cell electric truck to take place in the country.

The Hübner Group, which unveiled its ‘hydropneumatic’ suspension and damping system, which works without the use of compressed air at Busworld 2023, is seeking OE partners to build the first vehicle prototype. Any manufacturer interested should get in touch.

The prototype step van is the first vehicle of its kind to be built by the school bus manufacturer, with powertrain components supplied by Xos.

Irish reefer operator, McCulla is set to trial Hydrogen Vehicle Systems’ hydrogen fuel cell HGVs in 2025 to assess the performance and TCO of the vehicles to explore the potential eligibility to be integrated into its fleet.

The truck engines will be fitted with Westport’s high-pressure direct injection (HPDI) system, using compression-ignition to deliver power and range comparable to a conventional diesel.

The specialist facility offers HVS complete build capabilities encompassing a complex toolroom ensuring quality design and prototyping. Each of the prototypes will be used to test specific aspects of the vehicle involving strength, durability and efficiency.

INEOS Inovyn says it is supply the liquid hydrogen to power the five customer trials of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Trucks next month. The first of the five customer trials will see logistics partner VERVAEKE, transport various chemicals to numerous INEOS clients around Germany. This one year test will give Daimler valuable real-world insight into the capability and reliability of the vehicle.