MAN, Mitsubishi, Iwatani, H2 Mobility, Hylane and more

The development team at MAN Truck & Bus was named “Engineering Team of the Year” at the ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle International Awards. The recognition highlights the team’s outstanding achievements in autonomous driving, particularly the “TruckScenes” project. In this initiative, MAN made several hundred gigabytes of real-world driving data from 747 unique scenarios publicly accessible. The goal: to support research in autonomous trucking and set new safety and efficiency benchmarks for hub-to-hub transport. The award was presented during the ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expo in Stuttgart. MAN is the first commercial vehicle manufacturer to release such a vast dataset to the public. 

Daimler Truck subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso and Japanese energy company Iwatani are partnering to develop and scale liquid hydrogen (sLH₂) refueling infrastructure in Japan. Compared to gaseous hydrogen, sLH₂ offers several advantages: higher energy density, longer range, faster refueling, and lower investment and operational costs. The tanks are also smaller and lighter, improving payload capacity. The partnership will focus on technical development, regulatory evaluation, and assessing commercial viability. The sLH₂ technology was originally developed by Daimler Truck and Linde Engineering and is expected to enable ranges of up to 1,000 km for fuel-cell trucks. 

H2 Mobility has inaugurated Europe’s most powerful hydrogen refueling station in Düsseldorf. With a daily capacity of up to five tons of hydrogen, the station can refuel up to three vehicles simultaneously — including buses, trucks, passenger cars, and light commercial vehicles. The facility features dispensers for 350, 500, and 700 bar pressure levels, setting a new standard in hydrogen mobility. Starting in 2026, a 2-megawatt electrolyzer operated by Düsseldorf’s municipal utilities will supply the station with locally produced green hydrogen. The project is a joint effort between H2 Mobility, Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, and Rheinbahn. 

Volvo Trucks has introduced the FH Aero Electric, a new flagship model designed specifically for long-distance freight. With a range of up to 600 kilometers on a single charge, the truck sets a new industry benchmark. It features an e-axle capable of supporting up to eight battery packs, providing a total capacity of 780 kWh. Thanks to Megawatt Charging System (MCS) technology, the battery can charge from 20% to 80% in just 40 minutes — within the legally mandated rest period for truck drivers. The vehicle is scheduled to launch in Q2 2026. 

Cologne-based mobility provider Hylane, previously focused on hydrogen-powered trucks, is now expanding its pay-per-use model to include battery-electric trucks. In partnership with DHL Group and Daimler Truck, 30 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 vehicles will join the Hylane fleet and be rented out to DHL. Instead of purchasing the trucks, DHL will pay a usage-based fee determined by actual mileage. Deliveries are expected by mid-2026. With this move, Hylane aims to offer its customers a broader range of zero-emission transport solutions. 

Fiat Professional has introduced the “Tris,” a new three-wheeled electric vehicle designed for last-mile urban delivery in African and Middle Eastern cities. The Tris will come in three configurations: cab chassis, flatbed, and pickup. It features a 48-volt electric motor with 9 kW peak power and a 6.9 kWh lithium battery, delivering a range of approximately 90 kilometers and a maximum payload of 540 kilograms. Production is slated to take place in Morocco. 

Fortum Battery Recycling has rolled out a comprehensive service package in Germany for the transport and recycling of lithium-ion batteries. At the heart of the solution is the “Battery Box,” a UN-certified container measuring 1.20 × 1.00 × 0.74 meters with a volume of 620 liters. The container supports a maximum load of 400 kilograms and is suitable for transporting undamaged NCM and NCA batteries. Companies can order the boxes through an online platform, schedule pick-ups and drop-offs, and receive official recycling documentation. The collected batteries are sent to Fortum’s hydrometallurgical recycling facility in Finland via collection points across Germany and Europe. The Battery Box was introduced in response to the EU’s BATT2 regulation, which has been in effect since February 2024 and sets binding requirements for battery disposal and recycling rates.