Chinese battery vehicle manufacturer, BYD unveiled the new ‘E-Vali’ battery-powered delivery van at the IAA Transportation 2024 in Hanover, Germany as the company stepped up its expansion into the European commercial vehicle market.

The Volvo semi-trailer truck on display featured a 13-litre hydrogen engine, developed collaboratively with Volvo as part of the HyCET project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV).

Thanks to tweaks made to the engine, gearbox, and axles, as well as fitting class A+ tyres as standard, these trucks boast reduced fuel consumption of up to 3%.

The company introduced its F-Line E, an all-electric heavy-duty truck using a ZF electric drive system. Set to go into series production in 2025 at its Eskişehir Plant in Northeastern Turkey, the F-LINE series integrates several high-end safety technologies.

The company said the Thai plant would be used to supply markets across South-east Asia, Middle East as well as Latin America, replacing the existing C&E Series models.

As of August 2024, several Dutch transport operators have begun using the XD and XF Electric models, which have been designed for zero-emission operations.

In July, Renault Trucks hosted journalists in Lyon, France for a media day packed with presentations, workshops, a factory tour, and a ride and drive. No substantial announcements were made; instead, the point of the event was to show how Renault Trucks’ efforts to switch to electric vehicle production have moved from an “industrial and commercial reality” to an “operational reality”.

With a passenger capacity of 84, this electric bus is more compact and is designed for tight urban spaces while offering emission-free transportation. Available in two or three-door configurations, the bus retains the features of the standard (12m) eCitaro (but is 1.5 metres shorter), including the electric drivetrain and customisable battery configurations, which provide flexibility for various city transit needs.

During the IAA, Iveco unveiled the S-eWay Rigid, a heavy-duty battery-electric truck with a range of up to 400 km designed for urban and regional transport.

From a factory in Metro Detroit, Roush will set up production of the by-wire vehicles for the American market, aiming for annual capacity of 5,000 units.

Papé Kenworth will distribute Mullen’s two commercial electric vehicle ranges, the ‘Mullen One’ van and the ‘Mullen three’ light-duty truck.

The vehicle offers a maximum payload of 6,600 kilograms and a range of up to 235 kilometres, which can be recharged in half an hour when connected to a 250-kW charging station.