At September's IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, the home teams joined the league…

Following the German government's announcement that it would allow trials of 25.25m 60 tonne trucks on public roads, DaimlerChrysler has begun running its 'EuroCombi' rigs between Stuttgart and Sindelfingen, putting considerable weight and influence behind the debate that has for many years been the preserve of Volvo and Scania and is now at the top of most truck manufacturer's agendas.

Trailer manufacturer Kogel also displayed several versions of 25.25m configurations outside its exhibition hall.

The industry appears to be engaged in discussions in an attempt to establish a 25.25m European standard. There are already EU guidelines, but differences have begun to appear between the longer heavier trucks currently running in Scandinavia and Holland and with Germany now joining the fray, it is only a matter of time before these combinations will be able to run across borders.

Iveco apparently has taken a different approach and wants 18-metre artics to be approved with 26.5-metre combinations.

• DAF, who are tight-lipped on '25.25' exhibited no less than 12 yellow trucks.

In addition to the recently renewed product range, including the XF105 flagship, the CF series and the LF series of dedicated distribution trucks - all equipped with new Paccar engines - DAF presented its Telematics and Infotainment systems. Also on display was an Enhanced Environmentally Friendly (EEV) engine for trucks and buses as well as a prototype of an LF hybrid vehicle.

In just one year DAF Trucks has renewed its entire product range, starting with the XF105 flagship shown for the first time at the Amsterdam Transport Show in October last year.

DAF Telematics and Infotainment system will offer messaging, navigation, route planning, geo-fencing, tracking and tracing and performance monitoring functions, as well as the possibility of connecting a camera system to the display. Other functions, such as load temperature monitoring, security information and PTO-monitoring can be added later, also followed by I-Pod or MP3 connections.

Hybrid Technology

Paccar, DAF's parent company, has targeted an ambitious goal of 30% improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency for selected medium-duty applications over the next seven years, and Hybrid technology is a key contributor to achieving this objective.

As part of this ambitious program, DAF Trucks has presented a prototype of a hybrid distribution vehicle at the IAA show, based on the LF series. The vehicle is developed in co-operation with Eaton and Leyland Trucks, also a Paccar Company, and features a state-of-the-art parallel diesel/electric hybrid system.

As the hybrid system is used to accumulate energy generated during braking, it is particularly useful for stop-and-go distribution applications and makes fuel saving possible of up to 30%.

The latest developments in battery technology, have resulted in battery packs of only 150 to 200 kilos, which brings hybrid technology within reach.

The Enhanced Environmentally friendly Engine features even lower emission values than the required Euro 5 levels that come into force in 2009. DAF EEV engines are based on the new 9.2 litre Euro 5 PR engine, equipped with a passive soot filter.

At the beginning of next year or earlier if technically possible, the Paccar 9.2 litre EEV engine which has an output range from 250 to 360hp will be available for use in buses and later in 2007 for trucks. An EEV version of the 12.9 litre Paccar MX engine will also be available, with outputs ranging from 360 to 510hp. This will also be fitted with a passive soot filter.

• Also at the show, Scania announced a new crew cab for its 310, 340 and 380hp Euro 4 P-Series trucks, its full range of Euro 5 engine options and an enhancement to its Opticruise automated transmission.

The Scania Ecocruise system differs from a traditional cruise control, which delivers full power pushing the truck to its set speed as quickly as possible irrespective of the situation, by using momentum and gravity to achieve the same result. Scania claims the system has delivered fuel savings of over 5% in trials.

Scania says that its P380, R380, P420, R420 and R500, products are available at Euro 5. It is also offering three engines that use alternative fuels for buses. The 9-litre engines use either Ethanol or natural gas and it says that its diesel engines can be run on rapeseed methyl ester without any technical modifications.

• Main attraction on the Volvo stand was a hybrid engine that demonstrated the new so-called parallel hybrid system; a combination of electric and diesel power, where both the electric motor and the diesel engine, a D7 unit, can work independently of one another. This solution harnesses braking energy and is therefore particularly suitable for city operations that feature repeated stops and starts. Tests show that fuel savings of up to 35% are possible.

What is more, the diesel engine can run on renewable biofuel, making the operation entirely carbon dioxide-neutral. Volvo says it will be possible to launch hybrid trucks on the market within a few years.

Volvo's Dynafleet transport information system was introduced in a new version at the show. The new hardware features extended functionality that streamlines the driver's administrative work, not least by utilising the Internet and connecting to external units such as a laptop computer. The system is available in three packages: Perform, which contains driver and vehicle information, Perform & Locate which in addition features transport administration and tracking, and Operate which gives the driver and transport office the possibility of communicating with one another.

• Nissan's participation in Hanover saw the world premiere of the all-new Cabstar light duty truck, as well as a display of a hybrid powered Cabstar concept vehicle, a new range of engines on the new Atleon light truck, plus enhancements to Primastar and Interstar.

Nissan has set ambitious commitments for its global LCV business, one of four breakthrough areas identified under the company's Value-Up business plan. By fiscal year 2007, the company plans to double operating profit margin to 8% and increase volumes by 40% to 434,000 units worldwide compared with 2004.

The new Cabstar has been developed on a brand new platform which will be used globally, using a Cabin-Over-Engine (COE) arrangement.

Designed and developed in Europe and Japan by Nissan as a global product, the new Cabstar aims to provide 'best in class' payload in the competitive 2.8 up to 4.5 tonnes GVW category.

ZF has developed a parallel hybrid powertrain with a powerful electric motor (eMotor powered by an ion-lithium battery) supplementing the Cabstar's conventional diesel engine: the concept is based on a truck powered by Nissan's 3.0 litre common-rail diesel developing 150PS (110kW). The Hybrid Cabstar is expected to cut fuel bills by up to 30% as well as removing emissions in city centres.

• The big story from Renault Trucks was their new construction range where Premium Lander multi-axle tippers benefit from Renault's new 7 and 11-litre engines. The Deutz built 7-litre engine can be specified with one of three manual transmissions or an Allison fully automated box. The DXi11 unit is available with five variants of the ZF 16-speed manual transmission or Renault's new Optidriver, plus automated transmission.

A range of retarders is available depending on engine and gearbox specification and a new range of axles complements the range's upgrade. The Premium Lander is available as a 6x2, 6x4 and 8x4. There are three two-step cab options, Day, Global and Sleeper and the Global cab offers four levels of trim.

Renault's heavier Kerax is offered with the DXi11 engine with power outputs ranging from 370 to 450hp. Compared with its old Euro 3 engines; torque outputs are raised by up to 43%.

Renault also showed its new Magnum Vega. Aimed at owner-drivers and as a flagship truck, the Vega is powered by a version of the D13 engine and is fitted out with a range of in-cab features.

• On the MAN stand examples of new 12.4-litre D26 powered tractors were on display. The manufacturer claims that its supercharged EGR engine is 2% more fuel efficient at Euro 4 than the Euro 3 engine it replaces.

The D26 is available at 480hp and 2300Nm of torque with EGR and MAN's PM Cat for Euro 4, but the 540hp version cannot be cooled sufficiently with EGR so employs SCR to achieve Euro 4 and 5 standards. At Euro 5 MAN is currently using SCR, but says it will achieve Euro 5 with EGR by early 2009 for most of its range. Looking forward the manufacturer says that most of its competitors have concurred that any future Euro 6 emissions standard will need a combination of EGR and SCR, a solution it currently has.

MAN also announced an off road variant to its TipMatic auto transmission. Currently only available in 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 TGA models, but it is working to roll it out in other products.

• Turkish vehicle manufacturer, BMC, brought two multi axle chassis cabs to Hanover. BMC says that it intends to follow Hino's lead and fill the niche markets abandoned by the bigger manufacturers following the scrapping of the Foden and Seddon Atkinson brands.

With its Cummins powered 8x4 380hp Euro 4 product aimed squarely at Seddon's old market, it is planning a UK launch at the CIWM show next year, with a mixer and hook loader body. It also showed a 6x2 haulage truck with a 250hp Cummins.