IAA Transportation: Our preview of the new electric truck innovations at the exhibition

The IAA Transportation is renowned as the most important trade show for logistics – in Europe certainly, and likely globally as well. Manufacturers around the world have been preparing for this year’s event from September 15 to 20 in Hannover for months. And it will be packed: The IAA organizers state that the exhibition halls are fully booked. Interest was already high in 2024, and hall occupancy will be even tighter this year.

Notably, about one-third of the exhibitors are first-time participants (compared to a quarter in 2024). The IAA remains highly international: according to the event organizers, 70 percent of exhibitors come from abroad — a level similar to that of 2024. China has the most international exhibitors, followed by Turkey and Italy. The organizers see this as proof of how significant the European market is in the tech competition.

Hildegard Müller, president of the Association of the German Automobile Industry (VDA), has already set the topics for the talks at the exhibition booths. At a press conference organized by the IAA organizers this week, she outlined the industry’s challenges, emphasized the innovation capabilities of domestic manufacturers, and reminded Brussels and Berlin of their political responsibility to facilitate the development of alternative-powered commercial vehicles. “The commercial vehicle industry is an industry of doers. It, along with the many people who work in logistics, keeps our country running,” stressed Müller — adding, “The IAA Transportation will vividly showcase the dynamism of our industry. It will once again be a showcase of innovations.”

A major industry gathering at IAA Transportation

A key component of the exhibition once again are the suppliers and booth manufacturers: With over 750 exhibitors, these suppliers form the backbone of the event. Nearly half of all booths come from this sector. Booth specialists make up the second largest group with 240 providers, followed by OEMs. Already announced for the nearly one-week exhibition are around 150 world premieres and new products. The organizers emphasize in advance that alongside digital and climate-neutral mobility solutions, autonomous driving will also take up significantly more space this year. Generally, the IAA aims to get closer to real-world conditions: The available slots for test drives are being expanded accordingly. “There are 84 vehicles from 17 exhibitors available for test drives at the exhibition site and on public roads — 40 percent more than in 2024,” promote the organizers.

exhibitors. For the first time, there are three departure points at the exhibition site under these circumstances.

In our IAA preview as well, a special type of test drive plays a role right from the beginning – one that takes you around the world. It should be briefly mentioned beforehand, however, that our list does not claim to be exhaustive. A directory of all exhibitors can be found on the IAA homepage.

What the established manufacturers offer

Now let’s get started: At Daimler Truck (Hall 19, Booth A41), the second generation of electric trucks is in the spotlight, specifically the eActros 600 and the new eActros 400. Both have been on the market for some time already. As a true novelty, the Stuttgart-based company is showcasing the eActros Lowliner in Hannover—a variant of the 600 model specifically designed for automotive logistics. Orders are expected to be available starting in the third quarter of 2026, with the first units rolling off the production line in the second quarter of 2027. Daimler Truck also announces a showcase for its hydrogen truck, the NextGenH2 Truck. As the first customer, Dachser in Germany is set to deploy a limited-production version of it in December. Overall, 100 units of the NextGenH2 Truck will be gradually put into customer use starting from the end of this year.

The company also hopes to gain significant attention through a partnership with content creator Tobias Wagner, known on various platforms as “Elektrotrucker.” As reported, Wagner will set off on a round-the-world journey from the IAA on September 20th using a modified eActros 600. The theme of this major practical test is: Around the world in 80 deliveries. Here we present the comprehensive test drive mentioned earlier.

Just before the release of this IAA preview, Daimler Truck also informed us that a group of industry players intends to launch a major initiative to establish a fully integrated hydrogen ecosystem for heavy road freight transport. This coordinated effort will be presented in more detail at the exhibition on September 15. Those participating already have a catchy slogan: alongside Daimler Truck, they include the Volvo Group, Toyota, Bosch, Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, TEAL Mobility, and MB Energy. But that’s just a brief mention.

At MAN (Hall 11, Booth D08), the second major German commercial vehicle manufacturer, the now-complete range of electric trucks is on display, spanning a total weight of 12 to 50 tons. In other words, in addition to the eTGL, eTGS, and eTGX, MAN also has the 16-tonne eTGM available, which made its world premiere in Milan in May and is now being presented to the local audience as well. The Munich-based company’s booth also offers detailed information about the electric mobility ecosystem and provides insights into new applications such as bidirectional charging or depot charging without high-capacity power connections.

A few meters away, Volvo Trucks (Hall 11, Booth D09) showcases its second generation of electric trucks. The highlight is the new electric flagship, the Volvo FH Aero Electric, with an extended range of up to 700 kilometers, which is set to go into production starting in early September. This model is accompanied on site by electric trucks of the Volvo FH, FM, and FL Electric types. Additionally, a fuel cell truck developed by Volvo is also on display. Interestingly, the Swedes also have a diesel engine vehicle for the North American market at their booth, the Volvo VNL, which stands out with its typical American long nose design.

Renault Trucks, the group’s sister company (Hall 21, Booth B52), is also introducing its second generation of electric trucks using the same technical platform. At the IAA, it highlights the Renault Trucks E-Tech T 780 for long-haul transport as a key electric vehicle. The revised E-Tech T 540 and the smaller Renault Trucks E-Tech D14T will also be on display. Additionally, the French company announces that a Renault Trucks E-Tech D 16T with a sliding cover and liftgate will be shown at the trailer manufacturer Junge’s booth.

Electric trucks from Turkey shown for the first time

What else? Ford Trucks (Hall 21, Booth C02), the heavy-duty commercial vehicle brand from Ford Otosan, is also bringing an XXL electric truck to Hannover for the first time: The F-Line E was initially unveiled by the manufacturer in Lyon in November 2025 — and it is now showing off its debut in the electric 19- and 26-ton class to the trade visitors in Germany as well.

Scania (Hall 12, Booth C60) and DAF (Hall 21, Booth B31) have not yet provided specific details about their electric vehicle offerings at their booths. However, it is clear that Scania will have at least four electric trucks available in the outdoor area or for test drives, including the Scania BEV 40 R, BEV 36 R XT, and BEV 30 P roof crane. The Dutch manufacturer DAF is likely to bring trucks from its electric lineup, ranging from the smaller DAF XB electric to the larger XG electric. DAF also represents the current “International Truck of the Year 2026” with its XD and XF models.

Iveco, on the other hand, will be completely absent from the exhibition. The company from northern Italy was present two years ago with models like the S-eWay. This year, they have canceled their participation.

Tesla aims to stand out at the IAA Transportation

Next up is Tesla (Hall 12, Booth B01): The U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer already appeared at IAA Transportation two years ago with its electric truck, the Semi. There will be a comeback this year, but this time with concrete details: Tesla promises to announce the European market launch during the exhibition — along with the technical specifications. In addition to its booth, Tesla has also signed up for test drives of the Semi — departure point: Hall 14/15, TD07.

In addition, a number of OEMs from China are seeking attention at the trade show to promote their entry into the German and European markets. At the forefront is Sany (Hall 12, Booth C40): The manufacturer, known to us as Sany eTrucks supported by Putzmeister, will showcase its electric tractor unit e263 under the spotlight of the exhibition. Sany announced its start of deliveries in Germany back in June. For IAA Transportation, the Chinese manufacturer had already indicated at that time it would make a big presence with new models and an outlook for 2027. On its website, Sany has now listed electric three- and four-axle trucks for the local market as well. It is considered certain that these will also be on display in Hannover: Sany’s representatives state they will bring a total of four electric truck models.

Chinese players stepping into the spotlight

Sinotruk (Halls 19/20, Booth A10) and SuperPanther (Hall 12, Booth D46) are also among the exhibitors, as these two manufacturers have already begun producing their electric trucks at Steyr Automotive in Steyr, Austria. China’s OEM Skyworth Auto (Hall 21, Booth B32) will unveil its heavy-duty electric truck, the Skyworth Z9, as the highlight of its display, featuring a autonomy level of 4 among other specifications. Other Chinese brands we will see at the IAA include FAW Trucks, Dongfeng, Foton, Geely’s subsidiary Farizon, Wisdom Motor, and DeepWay. Among the suppliers, CATL’s booth (Halls 19/29, Booth B36) is particularly noteworthy: this Chinese battery giant plans to showcase its new battery innovations tailored for commercial vehicles at the IAA.

German and European suppliers have already announced several key components and innovations for the IAA. Here are a few examples:

Bosch (Hall 19/29, Booth A31) is showcasing its new Rigid eAxle, which combines the core components of electric drive systems such as the electric motor and transmission into a single axle for commercial vehicles weighing 18 to 49 tons. The booth also displays Bosch’s new high-voltage blower module for 800-volt architectures, as well as fuel cell systems for buses and trucks that cover a power range of 100 to 300 kilowatts.

ZF (Hall 21, Booth B42) is presenting its TraXon 2 Hybrid drive system, designed for full hybrid and plug-in hybrid architectures. Like Bosch, this supplier also places significant emphasis on software and connected system intelligence.

Mahle (Hall 11, Booth D07) will showcase at the IAA a new range extender system for heavy trucks, among other products. It can be installed in battery-electric trucks, effectively turning them into plug-in hybrids. The range extender consists of a high-voltage generator combined with a compact combustion engine.

Regarding electric trailers, the Aachen-based company Trailer Dynamics will be exhibiting together as part of the Krone Nutzfahrzeug Group this year (Hall 27, Booth C40).

The British startup Advanced Electric Machines (Hall 27, Booth F41) specializes in electric motors that do not use rare earth elements — and it will unveil the 3D model of its largest and most torque-intensive motor, which is set to be available as a prototype for heavy-duty applications next year.

The startup Munich Electrification (Hall 19/20, Booth D42) is showcasing an innovative battery isolation device for high-voltage systems in commercial vehicles. Unlike the mechanical or pyrotechnic fuses currently in use, Munich Electrification’s solution is based on a chip circuit.