At the IAA Transportation 2024 show in Germany, Sinotruk showcased a range of new commercial vehicles under the theme ‘Zero to Hero’. 

Besides an upgraded ‘Yellow River’ hydrogen internal combustion engine tractor with an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.286, the Chinese company presented the Sitrak hydrogen fuel tractor and the Howo Tongshuai pure electric light truck. 

With the innovative design, inspired by a droplet shape that enhances aerodynamics, the highlight of the “Yellow River’ hydrogen ICE (it has also set a Guinness World Record by traveling 4,871 km on a full tank, according to the Sinotruk), the Sitrak electric drive tractor the company exhibited, is engineered for long-haul logistics with a drive range of up to 450 km and does 825 kW of power as well as 75,000 Nm of torque.

The Tongshuai light electric truck, on the other hand, is fitted with a 100-kWh battery that can be charged in just about 20 minutes. The Bolden pickup truck is equipped with a Weichai WP2H 2.0T diesel engine that does 187 hp of power and 420 Nm of torque. 

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The State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) of Tamil Nadu has launched its intercity transport service with the induction of 20 Volvo 9600 15-metre seater coaches. The fleet was flagged off by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin, at Island Grounds, Chennai.

The move is part of the state government's programme to upgrade public transport and provide long-distance travel options. The ceremony was attended by transport officials and government dignitaries, including the Minister for Transport, S S Sivasankar.

The Volvo 9600 coaches are manufactured at Volvo Buses India’s facilities and represent the current generation of the company’s bus range in the country.

The buses have a 51-seat layout designed for long-haul operations. Each unit is fitted with seats featuring calf support. It is engineered for ride quality, safety and operational reliability.

The coaches will operate on several major routes within Tamil Nadu and to neighbouring states, including:

• Chennai to: Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Tiruppur, Salem, Thanjavur, Trichy, Nagercoil and Tiruchendur.
• Inter-regional: Coimbatore–Bengaluru and Trichy–Tiruchendur.

Suresh Chettiar, Executive Vice-President – Bus Division, VE Commercial Vehicles, said, “We are proud to partner with SETC and the Government of Tamil Nadu in strengthening Tamil Nadu’s intercity transport ecosystem with the induction of Volvo 9600 coaches. These buses are engineered to deliver world-class comfort, safety, and operational reliability, supporting SETC’s vision of providing a superior travel experience to passengers while raising benchmarks for public transport in Tamil Nadu.”

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IVECO BUS has delivered its first GX 337 H2 LINIUM hydrogen city bus to the Lorient Agglomeration in France.

The delivery is part of a project that will eventually see 19 hydrogen buses added to the IziLo Mobilités network fleet, with 10 further units scheduled for delivery during 2026.

The GX 337 H2 LINIUM utilises a 100-kW fuel cell powered by four hydrogen tanks, integrated with a 69-kWh FPT Industrial battery pack. The bus has a claimed operational range of 450 km, can accommodate up to 110 passengers and hydrogen consumptions is claimed to be around 20 percent lower than others. Furthermore, it also is equipped with a heat pump system for thermal management and also comes with IVECO ON services to monitor performance and ownership costs.

Fabrice Loher, President, Lorient Agglomeration and Mayor of Lorient, said, “With the introduction of this first hydrogen bus, Lorient Agglomeration reaffirms its ambition to lead a bold and transformative energy transition. This milestone marks the emergence of a local sector that fosters innovation and job creation and strengthens our collective ability to offer sustainable mobility solutions tailored to the daily needs of our residents.”

Giorgio ZINO, Head of IVECO BUS Commercial Operations in Europe, said, “We are proud to see Lorient host the first European delivery of our GX 337 H2 LINIUM hydrogen city bus, a tangible demonstration of our commitment to working alongside local communities for decarbonised collective mobility. This technology delivers a high-performance solution, combining autonomy, comfort and energy efficiency and plays an active role in building a more sustainable future.”

IziLo Mobilités serves 25 municipalities with a population of 207,000. The network operates over 140 bus and boat lines. The introduction of hydrogen technology is intended to support the transition to carbon neutrality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the fleet.

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Caterpillar has announced that all Cat Customer Value Agreements (CVAs) will be eligible for an upgraded Services Commitment beginning in 2026. The programme is designed to provide equipment owners with specific timelines for maintenance and repairs.

Under the new terms, CVAs that include dealer labour will feature a Two-Day Repair commitment for common repairs. If the equipment is not returned to service within this timeframe, the customer receives a payment. Furthermore, the Parts Next-Day availability commitment covers maintenance, wear, and repair parts for pickup at a designated dealer location.

The CVAs provide 24x7 access to equipment health management tools, including VisionLink and Cat Inspect, to monitor asset insights. Agreements also include:

• Support from local Cat dealers.
• Delivery of Cat parts and fluids for planned maintenance at the customer's location.
• Options for equipment coverage, portability, and transferability.

Ebban Clause, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Construction Industries Services Division, said, “Our new Services Commitment program with a CVA is all about offering the customer hassle-free, peace-of-mind equipment ownership. Customers dealing with downtime need to act fast, and they need parts to get the equipment up and running quickly. Our new Services Commitment delivers just that – Two-Day Repairs, Parts Next-Day, or the customer gets paid.”

The global rollout of CVAs with the upgraded Services Commitment will begin in the Q1 of 2026. The implementation will continue through 2027, depending on regional availability.

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Propel Industries Private Limited showcased a large portfolio of construction equipment at Excon 2025 that included four new electric tipper models. The company aso unveiled an all-new connectivity platform and a comprehensive after-sales uptime solution. 
The four new electric tippers include the 90CED (claimed to be India's first ultra-fast charging 90 tonne electric dumper with ADAS Level 1 safety), 70CED (claimed to be India's first 8x4 mining e-tipper with 25 cu m rock body), 560HEV-X (claimed to be Indias first 8x4 construction tipper with 25 cu m box body), 470MEV Gen-2 (caimed to be India's first 6x4 tipper with 20 cu m rock body) in particular. 
The Pulse.ev connectivity platform as a new digital ecosystem built in-house specifically for electric mining and hauling operations includes features such as real-time vehicle health and diagnostics; energy consumption insights; predictive maintenance analytics and fleet optimization suite for multi-shift operations.
"The announcements reinforce Propels commitment to innovation, high-productivity for customers, zero-emission, and future-ready heavy-duty mobility. Since start of EV truck sale in 2023, the brand has expanded its presence across coal, overburden, limestone, iron-ore, stone quarry, marble & granites, and solid waste management segments. Propel trucks have cumulatively covered over 5 lakh operating hours and the first set of 8 trucks have clocked 12,500 hours in 2 years, which is equivalent to 20 hrs per day. This proves the reliability and uptime of the propel electric trucks," said Siddarth Kirtane, President – EV Sales, Marketing and Service, Propel Industries. 

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