At this year’s ‘Global Technology Day’ – held at its test track on 27 June in Jeversen, to the north of Hanover – ZF Group’s CEO, Dr Holger Klein, observed that, while sales of fully electric cars are slowing down, hybrids are seeing “a renaissance”. Fittingly, ZF used the event to promote one of its latest innovations, a new hybrid drive system. During the rest of the day, however, we were taken onto the track to see how its advanced safety technologies from the passenger car segment are now being transferred to trucks.

The new facility, which is already in use, incorporates a test chamber and engine dynamometers with nominal capacities of 900 kilowatts and 4,000 Nm.

This debut marks the first product from Maxion Structural Components' global partnership with French battery supplier, Forsee Power, announced in April last year.

The company added Canadian bus manufacturer Letenda to its client list. Forsee announced that its Zen Plus battery systems will be integrated into Letenda’s 9-metre Electrip zero-emission buses in Q4 2024. According to Forsee, use of NMC lithium-ion cells allows the battery pack to offer up to 5,000 charging cycles, increasing its TCO.

According to Shawn Furman, Sales Manager for Optimal EV’s transit business, who spoke to T&BB at the latest ACT Expo, the company has preferred to keep a low profile over the last couple of years, especially given the bad press which EVs are receiving. While competitors such as Lightning eMotors have gone under, Optimal EV has been quietly working away on its main offerings, an electric chassis-cab and a battery electric low floor shuttle bus.

The deal is subject to approval: if permitted by the antitrust authorities, Krone will make use of Schwarzmüller’s sales and manufacturing footprint to extend its market presence in Europe and expand its distribution capacity.

Media reports from 4 July were corroborated by an announcement on Sunsundegui’s website; T&BB reached out to Volvo, which confirmed the reports but provided no further comment.

This expansion will boost its annual capacity of light truck and passenger tyres to 18 million annually by 2027. This will help the company service growing demand in the Asia Pacific market.

Almost one year on from pilot production, May 2024 saw VWCO in collaboration with Volkswagen Argentina start series production of four truck models and a bus chassis in Argentina.

Having purchased the full “e-package solution,” Daimler installed 41 charging stations (output of 360 kW) with a total number of 122 charging points at the depot. The result, up to four buses per charging station can be charged overnight at 90 kW. The supply agreement also includes maintenance and charging management software.

The new warehouse is intended to improve logistics and production at the site, where aluminium doors, automatic door systems, and ramps and lifts are made for buses, coaches, and trains.

Only 55 of the 4-Axis Evolut bulk semi-trailer, named Series 55, chassis of which are made from stainless steel, are to be made, with sales slated the second half of the year.