Bosch is showcasing a new electric rigid axle for heavy commercial vehicles at IAA Transportation 2026, expanding its drivetrain portfolio with an integrated solution designed for vehicles weighing between 18 and 49 tonnes.
The Rigid eAxle integrates an electric motor and transmission into the axle and is being presented alongside Bosch technologies for thermal management, driver assistance, vehicle software and automated driving.
Electric Rigid Axle Covers 18 To 49 Tonnes
The Rigid eAxle combines key electric powertrain components within the axle, including the motor and transmission. Bosch says the integrated design can reduce weight and improve efficiency compared with a central electric drive.
The supplier has not yet disclosed specific performance specifications or quantified the potential weight reduction.
The eAxle can be combined with Bosch silicon carbide inverters, which the company says can achieve efficiency of up to 99%. Bosch also points to its global production and supply network as a way of providing drivetrain components locally across different markets.
New Thermal Management System
Bosch is also introducing a high-voltage blower module developed for electric commercial vehicles and off-highway applications using 800-volt electrical architectures.
The module is designed to cool critical vehicle components when required while reducing the energy consumed by the thermal management system. Bosch expects the approach to improve overall vehicle efficiency and potentially increase driving range.
Software-Defined Trucks
Beyond electric propulsion, Bosch is highlighting technologies for software-defined commercial vehicles.
Centralised electrical and electronic architectures and high-performance vehicle computers are increasingly consolidating functions that were previously distributed across individual control units.
Bosch’s Vehicle Integration Platform, for example, combines functions from the Motion, Energy and Body domains on a central computing platform. The architecture also supports functions such as over-the-air software updates.
Driver Monitoring And Automated Steering
Bosch is integrating a camera for driver monitoring into the left-hand screen of its digital side-mirror system. According to the supplier, two European truck manufacturers have already adopted the technology as standard equipment.
The camera data is currently processed by a separate control unit. Bosch plans to move this processing to a central domain controller as vehicle architectures become more centralised.
The company is also introducing the fully electric ServoE steering system for heavier commercial vehicles. The system operates without hydraulic oil and adjusts its power output according to demand.
Bosch says the redundant system architecture and cybersecure software are designed to support assisted and automated steering functions. The technology could eventually provide a basis for steer-by-wire systems, in which there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the road wheels.
Bosch Maintains Multiple Heavy-Truck Powertrain Options
Alongside its battery-electric technologies, Bosch continues to develop several powertrain pathways for heavy commercial vehicles.
The company offers fuel-cell systems with outputs ranging from 100 kW to 300 kW for applications including buses and long-haul trucks. It also supplies components for hydrogen internal combustion engines.
Hydrogen is receiving additional attention at IAA Transportation through a newly established industry alliance involving Bosch, Daimler Truck, Volvo, Toyota and companies from the energy and infrastructure sectors.
The alliance aims to accelerate the commercial rollout of hydrogen-powered trucks and development of the infrastructure needed to support them in Europe.
Bosch’s IAA Transportation portfolio therefore spans battery-electric drivetrains, thermal management, centralised vehicle computing, driver assistance, automated steering and hydrogen technologies as commercial vehicle manufacturers pursue multiple routes to lower-emission heavy transport.
