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 company has remained tight-lipped regarding any product specifications, but technicians and sales representatives will be on hand (stand 653B in Hall 6) to share information at the event.

At stand 629 in hall 6, the company is set to debut its new roof-mounted AC138 EVO air conditioning system which is set to go into series production in Q1 2025.

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.

UK operator, Newport Transport, appoints Equipmake to convert 8 of its double-deckers to electric power with its Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED).

The vehicle shown was a 26-tonne ‘E-Tech D Wide’ 6x2 chassis with inward folding "bus-style" doors and low step height.

The vehicle presented at the show was a first demonstrator, but Schaeffler and VDL have plans to produce more, with the aim of commencing customer pilots in Germany in 2025.

Europe and arguably the world's largest bus and coach fair will take place at Brussels Expo in Belgium in six weeks' time running from the 7th to the 12th of October 2023.

The new rounded steel body of the S.KI, which has a loading volume of 24 cubic metres and is lighter by up to 180 kg than before, is reportedly more rigid and easier to handle, thanks to redesigned cross-section and upper lips and a lower centre of gravity.