With its first electric bus orders having taken place to Strasburg last December, series production has started for Alstom’s purpose-designed full electric 12m Aptis city buses at its two factories near Alsace.

Charging station provider, Heliox Automotive BV and services provider conglomerate, Spie Group, have signed a service contract aimed at ensuring future co-operation with regards to providing installation, service and maintenance to Heliox’s charging infrastructure.

The STAR project – the word STAR is a reversed acronym for Rapid Autonomous Transport System, which is being led by Iveco Bus - is a French funded research programme launched in 2017 that aims to develop the first driverless, autonomous standard bus for Europe capable of operating under conditions similar to real operations, is on track to produce a first prototype in early 2021.

SAF-HOLLAND Group and Lohr Industrie, a specialist in truck bodies and trailers for transporting cars, have entered a strategic partnership to advance the development of electric trailer axles.

Heuliez Bus, a subsidiary of London-headquartered CNH Industrial NV, has received an order from QBUZZ for 49 articulated Heuliez GX437 electric city buses to be used in the Groningen and Drenthe regions of The Netherlands.

Huntsman Advanced Materials has announced availability to the European commercial vehicle market, two new fast curing acrylate adhesives, Araldite 2050 and Araldite 2051, as the latest additions to its expanding structural adhesives portfolio.

The first VDL Citea SLFA-180 Electric has entered service in Orléans and is operated by Keolis Métropole Orléans. 

idem telematics GmbH has announced it is contracted to supply its entire product range to the German subsidiary of French rental company, Fraikin.

Renault Pro+ Commercial Vehicles Ltd, a division of Renault UK Ltd, has announced availability of two new products for its Master van platforms.

BYD Company Ltd has announced its 13m electric coach is undergoing in-service trial operations with French operator, TransDev.

As part of the management plan for its European operations and on-going restructuring of its production, the Wielton Group has announced that last year it bought from the receivers of the Italian Trailer Company, the large factory in Tocco da Casauria, run formerly under Merker trailer name.

Transport refrigeration specialist, Carrier Transicold Europe SCS, has introduced a range of new developments, first seen at the 2018 IAA exhibition last year.