Mercedes-Benz has officially debuted the new electric VLE. It is the first vehicle based on the company’s newly developed modular, flexible, and scalable van architecture. According to Mercedes-Benz, the VLE is designed to combine the ride comfort and driving dynamics of a luxury sedan with the spaciousness, versatility, and flexibility of a premium MPV (multi-purpose vehicle).

MAN Truck & Bus is expanding its heavy-haul portfolio with the new MAN TGX 41.640 8x4/4, a tractor unit engineered for a gross combination weight (GCW) of up to 250 tons. This 640-hp four-axle rig is built for extreme hauling tasks, such as transporting wind turbine components, large-scale transformers, and other massive industrial goods.

To handle these demands, the truck features specialized technology including a torque converter hitch, a reinforced heavy-duty transmission, and high-performance hydraulic and pneumatic systems. These allow for precision maneuvering and the leveling of heavy-haul trailers with 30 or more axles, even at "crawler" speeds.

The base vehicle is manufactured at MAN’s Munich plant before being customized for heavy-duty operations by the MAN Individual unit at the Truck Modification Center in Wittlich. Upgrades include reinforced cooling systems, heavy-duty couplings, and additional diesel and hydraulic tanks.

Tesla has opened its first publicly accessible high-speed charging station for electric trucks in Ontario, California. The new Megacharger site is available to Tesla Semi fleet customers, marking the rollout of a dedicated charging ecosystem for Tesla’s Class 8 electric tractor. Located on Guasti Road, this is the first charging point not restricted to Tesla’s own facilities or exclusive pilot-customer sites, making it available to external Semi fleets. Tesla plans to establish a total of 37 Megacharger locations by 2026. In tandem, the company is working with Pilot Travel Centers to build megawatt-scale charging stations along major US freight corridors. The goal is a dense network along primary long-haul routes to make the commercial use of battery-electric trucks economically viable. This infrastructure expansion coincides with the production ramp-up of the Tesla Semi, which offers a range of up to 500 miles (800 km) depending on the configuration.

Sinotruk has officially commenced production in Europe, starting assembly at the Steyr Automotive plant. The vehicles are tailored to the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) markets. Production initially follows the SKD (Semi-Knocked Down) method, where pre-assembled components are shipped from China for final assembly in Austria. The plant will produce both diesel trucks and all-electric models. Long-term, the partners plan to transition to CKD (Completely Knocked Down) production, where vehicles are built entirely from individual parts. This would allow for additional production steps, such as cab construction and painting, to take place in Steyr, increasing local value.

Kögel Trailer has introduced a new version of its Kögel Light Plus trailer, engineered specifically for use with electric tractors. The "e-optimized" Light Plus is designed to mitigate the typical challenges faced by e-trucks, particularly regarding axle loads and payload capacity.

Building on the company's established lightweight design, the key modification is a wheelbase shortened by 12 inches (30 cm) between the kingpin and the first trailer axle. According to Kögel, this shift reduces the load on the tractor's drive axle by up to two tons. Depending on the electric truck used, carriers can gain up to four tons of additional payload compared to conventional curtain-side trailers. With an optional dynamic wheelbase control system, the payload can be increased by approximately one additional ton.