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).

In July, American powertrain manufacturer, Cummins Inc, opened a new test facility at its engine plant in Darlington in the northeast of England, with the attendance of T&BB and other members of the trade press. The company has carried out engine testing at Darlington for many years, but the new facility represents a definitive change in approach to product development and evaluation. While the older test cells are solely designed to assess engines, the new facility can accommodate an entire truck or bus for whole vehicle testing. Moreover, the building which houses the new facility is specifically made to safely test gas and hydrogen combustion vehicles.

ZF confirmed that under the new agreement it would further develop the latest version of the hybrid automated manual transmission system, TraXon 2 Hybrid, for heavy-duty trucks in China.

All product brands, including Vitesco, which are currently marketed alongside the Schaeffler brand will “gradually be transferred to the corporate brand”.

In partnership with Trailer Dynamics, the company showcased its new eTrailer, a significant step in the electrification of freight transport. The eTrailer is equipped with a new electric axle that helps reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 50%, depending on the application and route.

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 new facility located at Phoenix House in Basildon offers a modern and technology-driven workspace designed to support the company's growth.

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.

The Turkish manufacturer, which is a subsidiary of the Koç industrial conglomerate, held a special ceremony at its plant in Sakarya to commemorate the milestones.

Holger Lange, head of R&D for truck and bus tyres at Continental explained that the company is focused on enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of its commercial vehicle tyres​.