IAA 2026: Commercial vehicles become more connected and electric

IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover made the shift in light commercial vehicles clear in mid-September 2026: electric drives, digital fleet management and ready-to-use specialized solutions are moving closer together. More than 140,000 visitors came to learn about new vehicles, technologies and logistics solutions. A central topic was that alternative drives can only scale quickly with suitable charging and operating infrastructure. At its home show, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles emphasized its expansion into a more data-driven B2B provider. Connect Pro combines intelligent monitoring, predictive maintenance and connected services so that operators can deploy vehicles more efficiently and reduce downtime. The vehicles shown included the new Caddy Maxi, the new Multivan, the e-Transporter Kombi and the Caravelle. The long-wheelbase ID. Buzz Cargo gains an extra half cubic meter of load space thanks to an additional 19 centimeters, for a total of 4.4 cubic meters of storage and up to 697 kg payload. It is offered with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and is due to arrive in Switzerland in autumn 2026. With the ID. Buzz Autonomous Delivery study, VW also showed how driverless deliveries in urban areas, spare parts logistics or food transport could look as a future approach to Transport as a Service. For immediate use, VW also presented solutions such as a long-wheelbase e-Caravelle as a taxi, an ambulance based on the e-Transporter and an Amarok for fire service duties.

Other manufacturers also used the show for specific electric commercial vehicle programs. Kia presented the PV7, its second model on an all-electric platform for light commercial vehicles. The PV7 uses an 800-volt architecture, is intended to enable fast charging and offer up to 460 km of range. For 2027, a Cargo version with 6.1 to 8.0 cubic meters of load space and a Passenger version with up to nine seats have been announced; a conversion center near the plant is intended to support customer-specific adaptations. Kia is also planning the PV9 for 2029. Renault also uses 800 volts for the new Trafic Van E-Tech. It is said to be able to add up to 280 km of range in 20 minutes, with up to 380 km stated for urban use. The Trafic can be ordered in Switzerland from the end of October 2026 and offers 1.3 tonnes of payload, 2 tonnes of towing capacity, up to 5.8 cubic meters of load volume and a loading height of 53 centimeters. A jury from 26 European countries named it Van of the Year 2027 at the IAA. Renault plans four further commercial vehicle novelties in addition to the Trafic by 2028. Pressure is also coming from China: Maxus showed an updated van and pick-up program with a focus on bidirectional charging, JAC the Sunray Pro with up to 348 km of range for under 30,000 francs, and Chery electric vans and transporters such as the Karry EX7. The previously shown BYD E-Vali and two all-electric buses from MG also stand for the growing competition. MAN, meanwhile, presented the TGE electrified by Flux with 4.0 and 5.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight. The electric powertrain comes from Flux Mobility in Winterthur; the stated features are electric all-wheel drive, a 119-kWh battery for up to 480 km of range and electric and electromechanical power take-offs with up to 56 kW for ambulances, fire services or municipal vehicles.