Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Daimler Truck, Mercedes-Benz Trucks and more

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) has introduced a completely new version of its popular California camper van, now available as a plug-in hybrid for the first time—the New California. It will be based on the long version of the Multivan and come in five versions: "Beach," "Beach Tour," "Beach Camper" (with a mini kitchen in the rear), "Coast," and "Ocean" (both with full kitchens on the driver's side). All versions of the New California feature a pop-up roof with a front window, a large front opening, and two side windows in the folding bellows (all with mosquito nets), as well as sliding doors on both the left and right sides, with an optional awning. Instead of a rear bench seat, there are now individual seats in the rear. The camper van offers various powertrains. Besides the 110 kW (150 HP) four-cylinder TDI, there is a 150 kW (204 HP) TSI gasoline engine available for the front-wheel-drive versions. The new plug-in hybrid system delivers a combined output of 180 kW (245 HP) and comes with 4Motion all-wheel drive. The towing capacity is up to 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs). Pre-sales for the New California will start in June, with deliveries expected in the second half of the year.

Daimler Truck has combined two groundbreaking technologies—battery-electric propulsion and autonomous driving—in one vehicle: the autonomous Freightliner eCascadia. This truck is based on the North American series model of the battery-electric Freightliner eCascadia and is equipped with autonomous driving software from Daimler Truck's subsidiary, Torc Robotics, along with advanced sensors and computer technology. Daimler Truck is currently testing the truck's ability to operate fully autonomously under certain conditions. These components are designed to enable the eCascadia to eventually achieve SAE Level 4 autonomous driving. Since its launch in 2022, the eCascadia has logged over 6 million miles with customers across more than 55 fleets in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has announced a test series for the new eActros 600. The company plans to send two near-series prototypes of the eActros 600 on a tour through 20 countries to test their reliability and efficiency under various climatic conditions and terrains. The trucks will be equipped with a total train weight of 40 tons and will cover more than 13,000 kilometers (8,078 miles). The "eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024" will start on June 11 in Frankfurt am Main. The exact route will be announced closer to the start date. To demonstrate the feasibility of cross-border BEV long-haul transport with the eActros 600, the vehicle will only use public charging stations. The eActros 600 has a range of 500 to 600 kilometers. The series production of the eActros 600 is scheduled to begin at the end of 2024.

The EVtrailer2 research project, officially titled "Electric Drive Cooperation and Energy System for Heavy Commercial Vehicles – evTrailer2," which started in 2022, is making significant progress in developing electric semi-trailers for heavy trucks. A consortium is currently working on a three-axle semi-trailer equipped with electric traction and energy storage. The trailer is expected to be ready for road testing by early 2025. The project's specific goals include improving the driving safety of heavy semi-trailers, further reducing CO2 emissions through the integration of vehicle-mounted solar modules, enabling independent maneuvering without a tractor unit (e.g., in trailer parks), and preparing the energy storage system for high-power charging at charging points or overhead lines. The Fraunhofer LBF has developed a new hybrid battery system combining high-energy and high-power cells. This allows the battery system to continuously supply power at low levels and handle short bursts of high power, as well as receive high-power inputs. This hybrid storage system significantly increases the amount of recoverable energy. The hybrid battery system enables high-energy and high-power cells to be used in an age-preserving manner without compromising energy delivery and reception, according to a statement from Fraunhofer LBF.

A study by the German Federal Association of Parcel and Express Logistics (BPEX) and Lufthansa Industry Solutions highlights the diverse applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the logistics sector. The study concludes that AI can help reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve customer communication. For instance, AI could be used in delivery to find the optimal parking spot for delivery vehicles in urban areas or automatically analyze customer feedback. The researchers are suggesting an assistance system for parking spot searches for CEP service providers on the last mile. The navigation system could be configured to direct drivers to a parking spot or display several possible spots, using historical data from experienced drivers to provide necessary information. The BPEX and Lufthansa Industry Solutions also see potential for AI in the automatic analysis of customer feedback. A software solution based on AI could automatically classify, categorize, and forward written feedback from customers searching for lost shipments or complaining about damaged packages to the responsible department. The study's initiators also propose intelligent prioritization in parcel delivery.