Hanover
IAA Transportation 2026: key launches and design trends
Commercial vehicle design is alive and kicking — and as broad and varied as ever
Battery electric trucks are now well and truly making their mark on the commercial vehicle space. What once seemed too large a hurdle now looks like an arms race between brands big-or-small to gain market share.
There are varying approaches to design, some that are more boxy and facilitate extra battery packs, others more sleek and slippery. Faces are becoming more futuristic on the whole, mirroring trends seen in passenger cars where sharp DRLs and meaner expressions seem to have taken hold. CMF is also apparently becoming a focus area and in tandem with ambient lighting (and touchscreen controls) drivers are being given the freedom of choice to light their workspace/living area/bedroom as they wish.
Similar trends can be seen on the light commercial vehicle front with long- and short-wheelbase vans all carrying more design-led exteriors and increasingly functional interiors. Interesting moves can be seen in the micro-logistics corner of the industry, punctuated by FIAT's neo-retro three-wheeler and the aptly named futuristic 'Box on Wheels' (both products of the Stellantis group).
Read on for some of the main launches that caught our eye from the show in Hanover.
MAN Truck
Aerodynamics informed the design of the new eTGX, the electric variant of the brand's flagship tractor. Those improvements promise an extra 10% range for the 4x2 set up (660km) while a seventh battery on the 6x2 unit offers up to 720km. Driver visibility has also been improved, as evidenced by the clear panel by the driver's footwell, which when you are sitting six feet off the ground is very useful for spotting potential dangers in a blindspot.
DAF Trucks
From car transporters to conventional trailer-tractor combinations, the Dutch truckmaker has a strong presence in Hanover as should be expected. What stood out to us was a pronounced focus on driver comfort through the 'Single Driver Luxury Package'.
The package combines a new storage solution on the rear wall of the cab with a 90cm wide 'Relax' bed. Above this bed (which occupies the width of the cab) are large storage bins that feature a pair of clean sliding doors and nice metal handles. Inside, the compartments are illuminated and a simple towel rack sits below. DAF notes that this "mega-sized bed doesn't compromise the comprehensive seat arrangements" up front in the main cockpit. The CMF palette is a mix of stoney neutrals, no doubt creating a calming environment for long drives. (The gold strip seen around the door panel is in fact the exterior body colour — it's not that fancy).
Join our livestream on the future of truck interiors on 21 October. Register for free here.
Maxus
SAIC-owned Maxus has many a van on the road but has now expanded into the world of 7.5-tonne trucks. The eDeliver 75 has a battery range of around 155 miles, ample for its intended delivery use cases. Visually it features an expectedly flat and almost uninterrupted front face, with a contemporary DRL at the corners of the lower mask.
Inside, the IP is low and wide, split across two levels to create a flat storage tray of sorts, presumably useful only while stationary. A small digital instrument cluster sits behind the steering wheel with a larger central display tacked on to the left; physical buttons can be seen below. There is no centre console making it easy to slide across if needed.
Fiat
In the spirit of iconic Italian three-wheelers, Fiat has revealed the TRIS, an electric three-wheeler that sits very much in the mould of the classic Piaggio Ape. The dinky city delivery trike is a strong reminder of how broad and varied the commercial vehicle space is, sharing the hall with 10-tonne big rigs, garbage trucks and mixed-use vans. The TRIS is just over three metres long and sports a turning circle of just 3.05 metres (less than half that of a London taxi). Alongside the mid-size Doblo is the larger Ducato van as well (and now available as an EV) as it celebrates its 45th birthday.
Renault
The new Trafic E-Tech is the first of five new light commercial vehicles to come by 2028. It is labelled as a ‘software-defined van’ – it really was just a matter of time before we saw that moniker — and thus the launch is as much about tech as it is the car, with an in-vehicle app that aims to boost daily efficiency. Nice. The new DRL feels a little less friendly than we are used to from a van, backed by a striking gloss black panel below the cowl and a wide-mouthed contrasting lower mask that bleeds beyond the 'grille' and into the lower fenders.
VW Commercial Vehicles
The new Crafter is on show in Hanover, and what stood out to us was the 'Intelligent Loading Space' which can record and document equipment and loads, ensuring the right kit is available at the right time. The autonomous ID.Buzz is also on show, the latest evolution of the brand's foray into robo-vans.
Citroen
Citroen gave the Berlingo Van First its world premiere at the Hannover show. It features a new dashboard and door panels, while 'Flexiseat' allows the passenger seat to be folded down to create an extra 0.5m3 load space. The optional Modutable creates a convenient spot for paperwork, lunch or laptop time.
Geely
Farizon is the Chinese brand's commercial vehicle arm and it may soon become a familiar name in Europe. A full suite of heavy-, medium- and light-duty offerings are on show in Hanover but we are particularly taken by the Homtruck big rig. This silver mammoth sports an interesting front profile that tapers from top to bottom, widening significantly at the grille; clever surfacing gives the appearance of an even tighter waist. The grille itself is an intricate mesh of oblongs and honeycomb, flanked by vertical headlamps and scooped air intakes. Battery range is reportedly 500km thanks to an enormous 600kWh pack (comparable to about six Tesla Model Xs).
Skyworth
The industrial and technology giant has expanded an already broad portfolio with the addition of a heavy duty truck. Hanover is indeed the maiden outing for Skyworth Auto and it has not played it safe, premiering the Z9 which is not only electric but also purports to feature Level 4 autonomous driving. It is aimed at ports, mills, rail yards and major logistics corridors.
The G18 is also interesting, an electric garbage truck complete with on board compactor as usual. The monochrome CMF treatment combines silver, flat slate, black and white stripes, and from side view the rear compactor looks like some kind of giant bottle opener.
Scania
The Swedish truck (and bus) giant has revealed an electric long-haul tractor with up to 720km (around 450 miles) per charge. Batteries are mounted under the cab and on the chassis as usual, with extra packs behind the cab (hence the extension to the bodysides, most evident from side view). Note also the aero-style wheel covers, almost Saab-like in their execution.
Like others here Scania has voiced its efforts to improve driver comfort (part of the Scania Dynamic initiative launched at the IAA) and from a design perspective is influenced by a new interior colour scheme and new textiles used on the bed, rear wall, ceiling and seats. The curtains feature 100% recycled material and the ceiling panels 70%. Scania says all this results in a "modern and cohesive cab environment." Interior lighting can be functional (bright) or calming (warm) thanks to adjustable ambience via the touchscreen. "For drivers who spend hours on the road, these improvements make the cab a great place to work, rest and recover," says head of solutions management Lars Gustafsson.
FAW
The Chinese truckmaker has revealed a visionary 2036 concept dubbed the TLX. Large flowing surfaces leave the heavy-duty truck largely devoid of shutlines and there are remarkably small side windows for a vehicle of this kind (where visibility is key). It is striking, but do we see shades of the Ford F-Vision truck shown at Hanover 2018?
Box on Wheels
Commercial vehicles are often quite literally described as boxes on wheels, quite to the disservice of their design teams we might add, but this is exactly that. The BOW is the work of Stellantis' Pro One commercial vehicle design team and UQI Robotics, and even got a shout out from global design boss Ralph Gilles on his personal instagram page. There are no strong design cues from the Stellantis portfolio of brands; perhaps the closest might be the rectangular pixels seen on the Fiat Grande Panda. Elsewhere, the oblong wraparound windscreen gives a submarine-esque side profile.
Tesla
The long-awaited Semi (ahem) has been shown in European spec at this year's Hanover outing. A blacked-out light bar at the centre and camera-based side mirrors are the most obvious differences against the forthcoming US variant shown below.
Volvo Trucks
Another strong entry in the aerodynamic long-haul electric truck slugfest. The FH (great initials) Aero Electric offers up to 700km per charge and carries one of the most distinctive light signatures in the market, in this writer's opinion.
BYD
Rarely absent from a motorshow floor, the Chinese brand has revealed the ETT 44 heavy-duty truck complete with a rather fetching livery.
BYD says it "embodies a new design direction for commercial vehicles, demonstrating how functionality, innovation and emotional appeal can coexist within a modern heavy-duty truck."
