Akasol AG, a manufacturer of high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for commercial vehicles, is to open a production facility in Detroit, Michigan, USA next year .

Kiepe Electric GmbH (a subsidiary of Knorr-Bremse Group), used Busworld last month to introduce theKiepe Traction Inverter, a traction converter that combines the power electronics for the traction system and for charging of the battery in a single system for electric buses and other heavy duty electric commercial vehicle applications.

Battery producer, Akasol, which recently opened a new European HQ in Darmstadt, said its future flagship high-energy battery AKASystem AKM CYC, will be produced at Darmstadt, with start of production in 2021 and at its new US headquarters in Detroit starting in 2022 as part of a recently agreed production order from a global commercial vehicle manufacturer.

The Charging Test Centre of VDL ETS in cooperation with Siemens Smart Infrastructure, is to investigate how vehicle technologies, energy storage and charging systems can best work together.

Electric motor manufacturer, Ziehl-Abegg SE, Germany and developer of the ZA Wheel said it was having major success in the retrofit market in conjunction with conversion specialist, I-See Buses GmbH.

The eCitaro electric city bus is now operating in several cities across Europe, Till Oberwörder, head of Daimler Buses said at Busworld Europe in Brussels, last month, and confirmed three-digit orders would be fulfilled before the end of 2019.

The latest generation of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter now features an optional 'High Load' rear axle, which allows greater carrying capacity.

At the end of 2020, ZF Friedrichshafen AG says it will begin production of PowerLine, the company’s new 8-speed fully automatic transmission for medium-duty commercial vehicles in order to supply a contract with an unnamed major North American OEM for launching in early 2021.

Suspension, axle, coupling and component specialist, SAF-Holland Inc has moved its aftermarket business into a large warehouse in Aschaffenburg.

The Mercedes-Benz Actros or Arocs heavy trucks fitted with Multimedia Cockpit Interactive, are now just one click away from a comprehensive, fully networked world of vehicles, drivers and logistic services.

In the 2018/19 business year ending March 31, 2019, Europe’s largest trailer builder, Schmitz Cargobull AG built around 63,500 vehicles employing 6,500 people, a record number for the company; this compares with exactly 61,256 units produced in 2017/18 with 6,400 employees and with 57,000 units and 5,700 employees.

The Supervisory Board has unanimously appointed Bernd Eulitz (53) to be the new CEO of Knorr-Bremse AG.