IAA Transportation 2026: These five trends could transform truck transport

More than 150 world premieres and new products are expected at IAA Transportation 2026. For hauliers and fleet operators, however, the headline number matters less than what these launches mean for day-to-day operations.

How far can an electric truck travel in real-world long-haul service? Where can it access charging power of 750 kilowatts or more? Can software identify a trailer fault before it causes a breakdown? How close are Level 4 projects to deployment on public roads? And will new Chinese brands have the dealers, workshops and spare parts needed to support European fleets?

The announcements made so far do not answer every question. They do, however, indicate where the commercial vehicle market is beginning to change in practical terms.

1. Electric trucks: range is only part of the equation

Battery-electric long-haul transport is entering a new phase. Manufacturers are no longer concentrating solely on installing larger batteries. Charging speed, energy consumption, vehicle configuration and the integration of electric trucks into existing routes are becoming equally important.

MAN illustrates this shift with its new eTGX, which is scheduled to make its world premiere in Hanover. Based on the information released so far, the truck will use a new battery generation offering 10% more usable energy. A 4×2 tractor with six battery packs and a total capacity of 552 kilowatt-hours is expected to cover up to 660 kilometres. A future 6×2 version with seven packs and 644 kilowatt-hours could reach 720 kilometres without an intermediate charge under favourable conditions. MAN puts the maximum MCS charging capacity at 750 kilowatts.

That figure also shows how the challenge is shifting from the truck itself to fleet operations. A vehicle capable of accepting 750 kilowatts can only benefit from that capacity if a charger with comparable output is available. MAN therefore plans to focus on depot charging and solutions for sites with limited grid capacity. Grid connections, load management and charging windows are becoming part of fleet planning.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks is focusing on a different operational requirement. Its eActros Lowliner is a battery-electric model for high-volume transport. The low coupling height allows the use of trailers with more interior space, which is particularly relevant to automotive and other applications where available cargo volume is used before the legal weight limit is reached. The Lowliner will be offered with two or three battery packs. Orders are expected to open in the third quarter of 2026, with production in Wörth planned from the second quarter of 2027.

This reflects a broader change in the electric truck market. Manufacturers are expanding their ranges for specific transport profiles instead of simply replacing conventional diesel tractors with electric equivalents.

Renault Trucks and Volvo are also preparing the next generation of long-haul models. Renault is highlighting the E-Tech T 780 while continuing to develop the E-Tech T 540. Volvo quotes a range of up to 700 kilometres for its new FH Aero Electric with extended range. Both manufacturers continue to offer other powertrain options alongside their battery-electric models.

Another benchmark will come from the United States. Tesla plans to provide more specific information in Hanover about the European version of the Semi and its intended launch date. For European operators, the most useful information will be less about headline range claims and more about payload, dimensions, charging performance, service support and charging infrastructure. Only then will fleets be able to assess how the Semi compares with the European electric long-haul trucks already available.

Suppliers are also showing that the transition is not simply a choice between diesel and a fully battery-electric truck. ZF is bringing TraXon 2 Hybrid technology for full-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains to Hanover. Mahle is presenting a range extender for heavy electric trucks, using an internal combustion engine and a high-voltage generator to provide additional electrical energy.

For fleet operators, the range of technical options is expanding. But a claimed 600 or 700 kilometres will not determine the business case on its own. Purchase price, real-world energy consumption, payload or cargo volume, daily mileage, downtime and available charging capacity all need to match the vehicle’s intended use.

2. AI and software are spreading across the entire combination

Digitalisation no longer stops at the fifth wheel. Trailer manufacturers are combining sensors, telematics, diagnostics and maintenance data to identify technical problems before they turn into roadside failures.

At Schmitz Cargobull, TrailerConnect provides the data foundation. Depending on the equipment, the system can monitor location, cargo-area temperature, tyre pressure and a range of vehicle and condition parameters. It can also record events such as door openings, braking incidents and refrigeration-unit operation.

At IAA, Schmitz is expected to place greater emphasis on AI-supported analysis. Algorithms will assess data for unusual behaviour, signs of wear and potential faults. The manufacturer describes this approach as a ‘software-defined trailer’.

For a fleet operator, the label matters less than the operational result. The technology becomes valuable when it can reliably identify a maintenance requirement and send a trailer to the workshop at a planned time instead of allowing an unexpected breakdown.

Krone is taking a broader approach with ‘Built as one’. The concept is intended to connect vehicle construction, components and digital services more closely. The joint presentation includes Knapen, Schwarzmüller, Hüffermann, Trailer Dynamics and Gigant.

As the number of digital systems grows, another practical issue comes into focus: how easily can data from different manufacturers be combined? Most hauliers do not operate tractors, trailers and telematics from a single supplier. Open interfaces and compatibility with existing fleet-management platforms may therefore prove more valuable than another isolated feature in a manufacturer’s portal.

3. Automated driving: the road from driver assistance to Level 4 is still long

The debate around automated driving is moving away from the idea of one stand-alone ‘autonomous truck’ and towards the technology needed to make higher levels of automation possible.

One example is Valeo, a French automotive supplier headquartered in Paris, which develops systems for electrification, driver assistance and automated-driving technology. The company generated around €20.9bn in revenue in 2025 and employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide. In the commercial vehicle sector, its focus is particularly on driver assistance and automated driving.

In Hanover, Valeo plans to show sensor and camera systems, computing units and technology for cleaning sensors. Although these are individual components, they are fundamental to higher levels of automation. An automated truck must reliably interpret its surroundings, combine information from multiple sensors and make driving decisions in real time. Cameras and sensors must also continue to work in rain, dirt and poor visibility.

Valeo is developing these systems for applications up to SAE Level 4. Its work covers not only sensors but also central computers and software for processing the resulting data.

The vehicle-side development is becoming more concrete at DAF and Einride. Einride is a Swedish technology company developing electric and autonomous transport solutions. The two companies plan to integrate Einride’s autonomous-driving system into a battery-electric DAF truck. Testing and validation are scheduled for 2026, followed by the planned integration of Einride software into a DAF truck in 2027.

Level 4 does not mean that a truck can immediately operate without a driver on any European road. The vehicle performs the driving task independently within a defined operating area and under specified conditions. The routes and applications approved for that use will therefore be just as important as the technology installed in the truck.

Chinese manufacturers are making more ambitious announcements at the same time. Skyworth Auto, a Chinese vehicle manufacturer, plans to present the heavy-duty electric Z9 in Hanover, which is also being presented as having Level 4 capability. For European fleets, that label alone does not establish which functions will actually be available, under what conditions they can be used or what approval in Europe would involve.

There is still a substantial gap between a vehicle announced as ‘Level 4’ and a truck that can routinely carry out driverless freight operations on public roads.

4. Chinese manufacturers are building a European foothold

For Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturers, the more important question is no longer simply which new truck will appear at the next trade show. Will they remain importers with a presence at exhibitions, or will they establish dependable sales, service and production networks in Europe?

Farizon, the commercial vehicle brand of China’s Geely Group, offers one example. The company will display its electric Homtruck at a European trade show for the first time. The Europe-focused version is expected to have a 600-kilowatt-hour battery and a range of around 500 kilometres. Farizon has not yet announced a firm date for European sales of the heavy truck.

At the same time, it is developing the foundations for its European business. Farizon has entered the German and French markets and is expanding its dealer network. In April, the company opened its first European spare-parts warehouse in Gaggenau, which will also be used to train dealers.

Sinotruk is taking localisation further. Since March 2026, the Chinese manufacturer’s diesel and electric trucks have been assembled at Steyr Automotive in Austria. Production initially uses the SKD method. If volumes increase, Steyr Automotive says the operation could be expanded to CKD production, including cab manufacturing and painting.

SuperPanther is also using Austria as a production base. Series production of the electric eTopas 600 at Steyr Automotive has already started.

SANY, the Chinese commercial vehicle and construction equipment manufacturer, has a European spare-parts warehouse in Germany. For servicing its electric trucks, it is working with Putzmeister and the Alltrucks workshop network, among others. The manufacturer has already started deliveries in Germany.

Farizon, SANY, Sinotruk and SuperPanther are only part of the Chinese presence expected in Europe. Dongfeng, Foton, FAW Trucks, Skyworth and DeepWay are also expected in Hanover. On the supplier side, CATL, one of the world’s leading battery manufacturers, will add to the Chinese presence.

Competition is therefore no longer based solely on imported vehicles. Assembly in Austria, a spare-parts warehouse in Germany and new dealer and service networks are early steps towards a local market presence. Whether these efforts will translate into lasting market share remains to be seen.

European fleet customers will judge the newcomers on more than price, battery capacity or range. Workshop coverage, spare-parts availability, financing, type approval and residual values will all help determine whether a new manufacturer is a realistic option for a fleet.

5. Hydrogen: attention is turning to the system around the truck

One of the most significant hydrogen announcements made just before IAA concerns more than a single truck.

Several truck manufacturers, suppliers, hydrogen companies and energy groups intend to coordinate their investments in vehicles, fuel supply and refuelling stations more closely for the first time. The initiative announced on 3 September includes Daimler Truck, Volvo Group and Toyota, as well as Bosch, Air Liquide and TotalEnergies. TEAL Mobility, the hydrogen-refuelling joint venture founded by Air Liquide and TotalEnergies, is also involved. Further details are expected on 15 September.

This puts a question at the centre of the hydrogen debate that has often been overshadowed by range figures: who will develop the vehicles, refuelling stations and hydrogen supply at the same time — and at what cost?

The interdependencies are substantial. A hydrogen truck is useful to a fleet only where fuel is reliably available. Station operators, in turn, need enough vehicles and hydrogen demand to make their investments viable. The companies involved have therefore explicitly identified competitive total operating costs as a goal.

Vehicle development is also progressing. From the end of 2026, Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to place a small batch of around 100 NextGenH2 Trucks with customers in Germany. The fuel-cell trucks use liquid hydrogen, and Daimler Truck quotes a range of well over 1,000 kilometres per tank. Dachser will be the first logistics customer. From the end of December, one truck is scheduled to operate on long-haul routes from the company’s logistics centre in Karlsruhe, with two more expected by mid-2027.

Volvo is pursuing two hydrogen routes in parallel. The manufacturer will show both a fuel-cell truck and a truck powered by a hydrogen combustion engine. A fuel-cell vehicle converts hydrogen into electrical energy for propulsion, while the second concept burns hydrogen in an internal combustion engine. Volvo is targeting a market launch for the hydrogen combustion model before 2030.

Hydrogen projects are becoming more concrete in 2026, but widespread deployment remains a long way off. The business case depends on more than range and refuelling time. Vehicle price, hydrogen cost, station coverage, maintenance and utilisation must all work together.

What reaches the fleet will be decided after the show

The technical specifications displayed in Hanover will be easy to compare. The more difficult task will be assessing the commercial case behind them.

For electric trucks, fleets will need to consider purchase price, payload, energy consumption, electricity costs and the availability of charging points alongside range and charging power. Hydrogen adds fuel prices and station coverage to the calculation. For new market entrants, workshop networks, spare parts, financing and residual values will be essential. AI and automation solutions will also have to show that they can reduce breakdowns, workload or operating costs in everyday use.

The development stage of each product matters too. The eActros Lowliner is expected to be available to order from the third quarter and enter production in 2027. Daimler plans to put the first NextGenH2 Trucks into customer operation at the end of this year. DAF and Einride are still working through integration and testing for Level 4. Tesla, meanwhile, has yet to publish key information for the European Semi. These differences can easily be obscured by the attention surrounding major premiere announcements.

IAA Transportation will take place in Hanover from 15 to 20 September 2026. Trans.info will be on site for the press day on 14 September. We will assess the announced range figures, charging performance and software features, as well as the European plans of new manufacturers. Discussions with OEMs, suppliers, hauliers, fleet operators and experts will focus on what can already be ordered, what it will cost and which infrastructure or regulatory requirements are still missing for practical deployment.