This year’s IAA Transportation was another well-attended event, with every type of commercial vehicle on display from the smallest van to the very largest zero emission truck.
We take a look at some of the highlights from the show held earlier this month in Hanover, Germany.
IVECO
Iveco unveiled its new all-electric S-eWay rigid range, available in several different configurations to suit applications including refuse collection, skip, hookloader, crane and tipper work.
The vehicle, which includes 4×2 or 6×2 versions, different suspension types, cab types and wheelbases, can also be used for towing trailers up to 44t GCW.
It can also be specified with four, five or seven 70kWh batteries offering total capacity of either 280kWh, 350kWh or 490kWh.
With the maximum number of batteries, range figures are up to 249 miles.
Luca Sra, President Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group, said: “With the S-eWay Rigid we are completing our S-eWay range, expanding our offering of zero-carbon solutions to give our customers the freedom to choose the one that best suits them.”
The manufacturer also displayed its eMoovy – a fully battery electric chassis cab in the mid 2.5 to 3.5-ton segment – designed for urban transport, including door-to-door deliveries.
It has a range of up to 320 km, and the energy storage configurations have a total capacity of up to 76 kWh.
The eMoovy is manufactured by Hyundai and locally customised and distributed on the European market by Iveco.
VOLKSWAGEN
At IAA, Volkswagen announced that its new seventh-generation Transporter will come with fully-electric, plug-in hybrid and diesel powertrains when it is launched at the beginning of 2025.
Based on the same platform as the Ford Transit Custom, the Transporter will be available in panel van, crewbus and double cab configurations, and offer more space, greater payload and increased maximum trailer weight than its predecessor.
The maximum payload is up to 1.33 tonnes – an increase of 10% – while all models feature a redesigned cockpit which has a 12-inch fully digital instrument panel and a 13-inch central touchscreen.
The e-Transporter launches with three different motors (136PS, 218PS and 286PS), with a 64kWh battery.
Volkswagen has not yet announced WLTP range for the vehicles.
BYD
Chinese manufacturer BYD also launched a range of EVs designed specifically for the European market.
The BYD ETH8 – a 19-tonne eTruck available with two wheelbase options – is equipped with a 255kWh battery to offer a range of 250km. With fast charging, the battery can be charged from 20% to 100% in two hours.
Meanwhile, its ETM6 7.5-tonne truck, suited to inner city distribution, has a range of up to 124 miles and with DC charging at 120kW can charge from 20% to 100% in one hour.
BYD’s E-VALI was on display – a new electric LCV suited to final mile and courier delivery services.
The vehicle weighs between 3.5 and 4.25-tonne and offers a range of between 220 to 250km depending on the specification.
In addition to its on-road products, BYD unveiled the EYT 2.0 electric yard tractor, designed for working in ports and terminals.
Michael Shu, Managing Director of BYD Europe, said: “We’re optimistic that the E-VALI and EYT 2.0 can make significant contributions to more sustainable solutions in areas as diverse as last-mile deliveries and major distribution hubs.”
KIA
Kia’s PV5, PV5 People Mover, PV5 High Roof and PV7 concepts were all displayed in Hanover, each one covered by a seven-year/150,000km warranty.
Due on sale from 2025, the brand’s new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) models will be able to use the Kia Charge network which provides access to more than 780,000 charging points in 28 European countries.
As part of the cooperation, Geotab will provide a fleet management platform, fleet manager app, driver app, and in-vehicle infotainment integration for the vehicles.
The partnership will also cover advanced EV routing capabilities with automated charging stop recommendations.
Pierre-Martin Bos, Director PBV at Kia Europe said: “Together we are focused on providing fleet operators with advanced technology and rich data insights required to optimise operations and improve driver safety.”
RENAULT
While internal combustion and electric versions are already on the market, the new Renault Master will be marketed as a hydrogen H2-Tech version in 2025.
The Renault Master H2-Tech Prototype hydrogen vehicle – with a 435 mile range and five-minute charge – was at IAA.
It has been developed by HYVIA – a joint venture dedicated to hydrogen mobility between Renault Group and Plug.
STELLANTIS
Stellantis launched a new in-house conversion and customisation programme at the show.
The CustomFit scheme runs across all Stellantis Pro One brands – Citroën, Fiat Professional, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and Vauxhall – and has already begun in some of its plants ahead of gradual implementation at other production sites.
These in-house conversions are supported by solutions developed in collaboration with a global network of more than 400 certified partners.
Arnaud Leclerc, Global Head of Stellantis CustomFit, said: “Our conversion and personalisation strategy is a key element of our offering, allowing us to tailor commercial vehicles to meet the specific needs of each customer.”
WEBFLEET/BRIDGESTONE
Webfleet, Bridgestone’s fleet management solution, displayed its new AI Assistant at the event.
The AI tool delivers real-time and historical data about key fleet performance indicators, including fuel and energy consumption, and driving events such as idling, speeding and harsh braking.
Fleet managers can type prompts asking for example ‘Give me the statistics for all driving time and total mileage for my drivers, aggregated for the last five months,’ or ‘What is the fuel consumption trend over the last three months?’ and get precise overviews in seconds.
They can also access pre-defined prompts and suggested follow-up questions.
The Webfleet AI Assistant is currently a beta project and Bridgestone is working with customers to further develop it.
Raghunath Banerjee, Vice President of Data Solutions at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions said: “By directly interacting with their data and asking questions, fleet customers can take data-driven actions faster and with more clarity to improve their operations.”
