Mercedes-Benz Trucks AG of Stuttgart, Germany and Royal Dutch Shell NV of The Hague, Netherlands and London, UK, are undertaking practical testing of a fully digitised fuel payment system at service stations in Stuttgart.

Phoenix-based battery and hydrogen fuel cell electric truck builder, Nikola Corporation, together with Iveco SpA and Open Grid Europe GmbH, an owner/operator of 12,000km of natural gas pipeline in Germany with multiple projects involving hydrogen production and infrastructure, have announced a cooperation to establish a Germany-wide, publicly accessible hydrogen network.

With the option exercise for delivery of a further 198 Environ500 double decks for BVG in Berlin, Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) of Larbert, UK has opened a new office, service workshop and parts warehouse in Berlin.

Alexander Dennis Ltd of Larbert, UK has confirmed the Berlin bus operator, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe has exercised options for 198 Enviro500 double deck buses, to be delivered to Berlin by the end of 2022.

A project researching an aerodynamically optimised articulated tractor-trailer combination initiated by Dutch international food producer, Vion NV of Boxtel, The Netherlands, started trials on German roads in mid-March with expectations of reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 8%.

Mercedes-Benz AG of Stuttgart, Germany has announced the next generation eSprinter van is to be built, starting from the second half of 2023, at three of the company’s global locations in North Charleston, South Carolina, USA, and in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde, Germany.

Quantron AG of Augsburg, Germany, a producer of electric commercial vehicles recently announced two weeks of successful trials of its Q-Econic electric refuse truck with the city of Ulm waste disposal company, EBU.

Kögel Trailer GmbH of Burtenbach is introducing revised trailer designs to meet new European Union legislation on rear underrun guards, being introduced from September 1, 2021.

Commercial vehicle e-mobility solutions provider, Quantron AG of Gersthofen, has formed a commercial partnership with commercial vehicle rental specialist, Fraikin Deutschland GmbH* of Unterschleisheim, Germany. 

Bosch Hydrogen Powertrain Systems (Chongqing) Co Ltd is the name of a new joint venture company, between Robert Bosch AG of Munich, and Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer, Qingling Motors Co Ltd of Chongqing, Chongqing Province. The new JV has been established to develop, assemble and market fuel cell power modules for the Chinese market.

Kögel Trailer GmbH of Burtenbach has appointed Lionel Blancheton and Hernán Ceballos as country-specific consultants in the Kögel After Market division in France and Spain/Portugal.

idem Telematics of Ulm, part of BPW Bergische Achsen KG, says networking of drivers, freight and vehicles is indispensable for transport and logistics companies but warns many hauliers are in danger of being left behind when it comes to digitisation.