Author: Ryan Whitmore

Swiss construction equipment manufacturer Ammann has partnered with Volvo Penta to develop the fully electric eABG 4820 asphalt paver, bringing battery-powered technology to demanding road construction applications. Based on Ammann’s diesel-powered ABG 4820, the electric machine is designed to maintain conventional paving performance while eliminating direct emissions during operation. 270 kWh Battery and 150 kW Fast Charging The eABG 4820 uses Volvo Penta’s 600-volt electric drivetrain, powered by three modular battery units with a combined capacity of 270 kWh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ8qnlUvC9E Its permanent magnet synchronous motor delivers 99 kW of rated power. Charging is available through a CCS2 connection, supporting DC…

Three UK logistics companies are expanding their electric truck fleets following trials under Project JOLT, a research programme examining the commercial and operational viability of battery-electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs). DP World, Howard Tenens and Port Express have all committed to new electric trucks after testing vehicle range, payload capacity and running costs on their own freight routes. Led by Professor David Cebon and the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF), Project JOLT involves two universities, 15 fleet operators, five truck manufacturers and three organisations providing project management and software support. The programme examines factors including battery efficiency, vehicle range…

Dutch electric bus manufacturer Ebusco has secured commitments for a €12 million capital injection from five existing investors, providing additional funding as the company continues its financial restructuring and works to fulfil outstanding vehicle orders. The financing is expected to cover operating requirements until the second quarter of 2027, subject to the funds being received in full and on schedule. The agreement involves the issuance of 240 million new shares at €0.05 each. However, the capital increase still requires approval from Ebusco shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting planned before the end of 2026. Five Existing Investors Commit Fresh Capital…

Tata Motors has completed the first settlement stage of its acquisition of Iveco Group, securing approximately 89.42% of the Italian commercial vehicle manufacturer’s share capital through its wholly owned Dutch subsidiary, TML CV Holdings. The transaction follows a takeover offer that received sufficient shareholder support to exceed the minimum acceptance threshold of 80% of Iveco’s ordinary shares. The acquisition establishes Tata Motors as the controlling shareholder of the European truck and bus manufacturer. The voluntary offer currently has an acceptance rate of 87.8%. Shareholders who have not yet tendered their shares can still accept the offer during the second acceptance…

BYD plans to introduce a battery-electric coach to the UK market by the end of 2026, according to Frank Thorpe, Managing Director of BYD Commercial Vehicle UK. The new vehicle is being developed specifically for the UK market and will expand the company’s presence beyond its existing electric bus offerings. The announcement was reported by British trade publication Routeone, which quoted Thorpe discussing the company’s plans. The upcoming coach is not expected to be a derivative of an existing BYD long-distance bus sold in other markets, but a model designed specifically for UK requirements. Technical specifications, including battery capacity, driving…

Registrations of new trucks and buses increased across the European Union during the first nine months of 2026, with electric vehicles gaining a larger share of both markets. Data published by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) shows that EU truck registrations of vehicles weighing 3.5 tonnes and above rose by 7.5% year-on-year to 245,079 units. Bus registrations increased by 15.2% to 32,695 units. ACEA described the growth in truck registrations as a recovery from a relatively weak market in 2025, while the bus sector continued to record stronger growth. Electrically chargeable vehicles also expanded their presence, particularly in medium-duty…

Bedrock Robotics has raised $600 million in a Series C funding round that values the autonomous construction technology startup at $4.1 billion. The funding will support the company’s expansion from early commercial deployments to a broader rollout of autonomous excavators across construction sites. The round was co-led by CapitalG and Emergence Capital, with participation from new investors US Innovative Technology Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners and Temasek. Existing backers, including 8VC, Georgian, Valor Equity Partners, Xora, Eclipse, Perry Creek Capital and Nvidia, also participated. Founded in 2024, Bedrock has raised nearly $1 billion to date. The latest investment follows a milestone…

Ljubljana has added 35 battery-electric and hydrogen-powered buses from Mercedes-Benz to its public transport fleet within a year, marking the largest fleet modernisation project in the history of municipal transport operator Ljubljanski Potniški Promet (LPP). The new vehicles comprise 25 battery-electric eCitaro buses and 10 articulated eCitaro G Fuel Cell buses. The investment value has not been disclosed. LPP is primarily deploying the battery-electric buses on urban routes with predictable schedules and regular charging opportunities. The hydrogen fuel cell models are intended for routes requiring greater range and operational flexibility. The fleet expansion combines two drivetrain technologies to support the…

Swiss logistics operator Hugelshofer Logistik AG has added two electric trucks to its fleet, bringing its total number of electric trucks to 87. The new vehicles are the SuperPanther eTopas 600, assembled in Austria, and the Sany e263, manufactured in China. The company plans to evaluate both trucks in daily transport operations, comparing their range, energy consumption, reliability, ease of use, service support and total cost of ownership. The trials form part of Hugelshofer’s longer-term objective of electrifying its entire vehicle fleet by 2035. Two Trucks Enter Operational Testing The eTopas 600 is assembled at Steyr Automotive’s facility in Austria,…

Scania has opened a new vehicle testing centre in Södertälje, Sweden, following an investment of approximately SEK 975 million. The 85-hectare site will support research and development work across vehicle safety, electrification, automated driving and conventional transport technologies. The facility contains 17 kilometres of paved and gravel roads, providing engineers with dedicated areas to evaluate vehicle behaviour and test systems under repeatable conditions. Scania said the new infrastructure will allow some development activities previously carried out at external test facilities to take place on site. Purpose-Built Tracks for Vehicle Evaluation The proving ground was inaugurated on October 19, with vehicles…

Fastned reported strong growth in charging revenue during the third quarter of 2026 as it expanded its European fast-charging network. The company commissioned 17 new stations, secured agreements for 26 additional locations and had 65 stations under construction at the end of the reporting period. The Dutch charging provider recorded €51.3 million in charging revenue for the quarter. This total included €5.1 million in Dutch e-credits attributable to the first quarter but transferred during the third quarter because of a temporary closure of the government portal. Excluding this timing effect, charging revenue amounted to €46.3 million, up 47% year on…

Belgian logistics company H.Essers has expanded its electric truck fleet with 20 new vehicles, comprising ten trucks from MAN and ten from Mercedes-Benz Trucks. The vehicles will primarily operate from the company’s locations in Belgium. The latest deliveries bring H.Essers’ battery-electric truck fleet to 31 vehicles. The company is expanding its electric transport operations alongside investments in charging infrastructure and energy management as part of its broader emissions-reduction strategy. H.Essers aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its own transport fleet by 42% by 2030. The company plans to pursue this target through operational efficiency, synchromodal transport, renewable energy, alternative…

Daimler Buses and its partners in the government-funded Electrified Coach (ELCH) project have completed a joint test drive of a technology demonstrator capable of travelling more than 500 kilometres. The test took place in Neu-Ulm, Germany, marking a milestone in the development of battery-electric coaches. The project, coordinated by Daimler Buses, began in 2022 and is scheduled to continue until the end of 2026. Its objective is to develop a modular electric powertrain and validate technologies that could support future series-production coaches under the Mercedes-Benz and Setra brands. The demonstrator is being used to evaluate technical concepts and gather data…

Foton and Weichai Power have signed a strategic agreement to expand cooperation in commercial vehicle powertrains, electrified models and connected technologies. The agreement was signed in Beijing on 21 September 2026 alongside a broader accord between their parent companies, BAIC Group and Shandong Heavy Industry Group. The partnership builds on existing cooperation between the commercial vehicle manufacturer and the powertrain supplier. Support from their respective parent groups provides a wider framework for coordinating component sourcing, product development and technology research. Cooperation on Powertrain Supply and Development Under the agreement, Weichai Power will contribute its expertise in engines, transmissions, integrated powertrains…

BYD has produced its 150,000th commercial new energy vehicle (NEV), marking a milestone in the Chinese automaker’s commercial vehicle business as it increases its focus on electric trucks. The milestone vehicle, a Q3 electric semi-truck, rolled off the production line at BYD’s truck plant in Huai’an, Jiangsu province, on 9 October 2026. The company said the achievement capped 18 years of development in commercial NEVs. BYD Expands Into Long-Haul Electric Freight BYD identified the Q3 as a key model in its expansion into long-haul transport and said it plans to increase investment in the heavy-duty truck market. Long-distance freight operations…

New Flyer has introduced a next-generation vehicle controls and electrical architecture for its Xcelsior transit buses, adding processing capacity, expanded diagnostics and support for software-based vehicle management. The system is part of NFI Group’s broader effort to develop more connected vehicles and streamline maintenance across its bus and coach operations. The new architecture consolidates vehicle programming, software updates and fault diagnostics, giving technicians greater visibility into vehicle systems. It will also provide more data to NFI Connect, NFI Group’s fleet connectivity platform, supporting future development of predictive maintenance capabilities and additional software functions. Rollout Starts With Zero-Emission Buses NFI Group…

Solaris has unveiled the Urbino 40 electric, a battery-electric bus developed specifically for the North American market. The world premiere took place at the APTA TRANSform & EXPO in Chicago, marking the Polish manufacturer’s planned entry into the North American electric bus market. The model measures 12.44 metres, or just over 40 feet, which provides the basis for its Urbino 40 designation. Solaris is also preparing the longer Urbino 60 electric, an articulated three-axle model measuring 18.59 metres. Solaris has been accepting orders from North American operators since the beginning of 2025, with the first deliveries expected to King County…

MAN Truck & Bus has begun operating an automated Lion’s City 12 E electric bus on a public transport route in Munich, marking a move from controlled testing to trials in regular urban traffic. The 12-metre electric bus has been operating on Munich Transport Company’s (MVG) Route 178 between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl since early September. A safety driver remains on board during the current testing phase. Automated Bus Uses Multiple Sensors MAN developed the automated system in cooperation with software specialist ADASTEC. The vehicle uses eight cameras, six radar sensors, five lidar sensors and satellite navigation to collect information…

Quantron plans to establish a platform for zero-emission and autonomous heavy-duty commercial vehicles in China with HyperView and Riyue Group, targeting the procurement of 2,000 zero-emission trucks in Shaoxing by 2030. Consortium Targets Chinese Commercial Vehicle Market Quantron, HyperView and Riyue Group have signed a strategic framework agreement to establish a consortium for the rollout of autonomous electric commercial vehicles in China. The agreement identifies a government-affiliated platform company in Shaoxing as the planned buyer of the vehicles, although further details about the company have not been disclosed. The initiative is intended to combine vehicle technology, autonomous driving, hydrogen mobility…

Tesla has been selected as the primary manufacturer for an initial order of 2,500 electric Class 8 trucks from ZET SCALE, a new alliance of shippers and carriers. The order could nearly double the number of electric heavy-duty trucks operating in the United States. Catalyst Mobility, the nonprofit formerly known as CALSTART, announced the selection on Tuesday. Catalyst Mobility operates ZET SCALE in partnership with the Smart Freight Centre. Tesla Selected As Primary Manufacturer Tesla was chosen as the primary supplier following a competitive request-for-proposals process. The alliance evaluated manufacturers based on factors including vehicle price, range, charging capability and…