Europe’s commercial vehicle industry heads to Germany this month for IAA Transportation 2026, running 15 to 20 September at Hannover Messe following a press day on 14 September. Organised by German industry body VDA, the show remains the sector’s biggest stage for trucks, vans, trailers and freight technology, built this year around the theme “We Deliver.”
A bigger show than 2024
More than 1,400 exhibitors from over 40 countries are taking part, filling 27 halls across some 466,000 square metres of floor space. The international makeup stands out: over 70 percent of exhibitors come from outside Germany, and roughly a third are showing at IAA Transportation for the very first time. Visitors can expect more than 150 world and European debuts, covering everything from electric and hydrogen powered trucks to autonomous driving systems and software defined vehicle platforms.
Who’s showing up
The truck making world turns out in force. Traton’s two brands, MAN Truck & Bus and Scania, arrive with major range updates already previewed to press in recent months, while Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks bring their own news across both diesel and electric lineups. DAF, Daimler Truck, Ford Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans and VW Commercial Vehicles round out the European contingent, joined by Chinese manufacturers BYD, Dongfeng and MAXUS, plus South Korea’s Kia.
Suppliers make up the largest exhibitor group overall, with names like Bosch, ZF, MAHLE, BPW Bergische Achsen, Daikin and AUMOVIO on the floor. Trailer and bodywork specialists Krone, Schmitz Cargobull, Kögel, Kässbohrer, JOST-Werke, Fliegl and Meiller Kipper are also present, alongside newcomers including electric van startup FLEXIS, charging infrastructure maker Zerova, and suppliers IAV, Igus and Stoneridge.
Notable no-shows, and a big return
Not every major name is on the show floor this year. Iveco has skipped Hannover entirely, opting instead to launch its 2026 lineup and new “Spirito in Movimento” brand direction at its own IVECO Experience event in Turin back in July, though some Iveco vehicles will still turn up on partner bodybuilder stands. Daimler Truck shows up without FUSO for the first time, following the brand’s spin-off into a new standalone company called Archion.
On the flip side, Tesla is back after skipping the last edition, bringing its Semi truck to European soil for the show.
Where the industry’s attention is focused
Expect electrification and charging infrastructure to dominate the conversation, alongside hydrogen, autonomous driving, connectivity and software defined vehicles. The persistent gap in charging infrastructure for heavy electric trucks remains a sore point the industry has yet to solve, and it’s likely to come up repeatedly across the show’s conference sessions.
How the show is organised
IAA Transportation splits into five zones: the main exhibition halls, a conference programme with industry panels and keynotes, a hands-on experience area for test drives and demos, a startup zone for newer companies, and a public facing Driver & Family Weekend to close out the event.
The conference side alone runs over 100 sessions with more than 200 speakers across three stages, including a new prototype.club Stage. Organisers say speaking slots filled up fast this year. The Main Stage in Hall 18 hosts the bulk of the institutional and industry talks on 15 and 16 September, with the official opening drawing officials from the German federal government, Lower Saxony, the city of Hannover, and VDA leadership.
More test drives than ever
For anyone with the right licence, 17 exhibitors are offering 84 vehicles for test drives, both on the show grounds and on public roads, a 40 percent jump from the 60 vehicles available in 2024. Exhibitor-booked slots are already gone, but walk-in visitors can still try to reserve a spot at the test drive terminal in halls 14 and 15.
Good to know before you go
Dates: 15-20 September 2026
Location: Hannover Messe, Germany
Organiser: VDA
Tickets: available through the official show website
More info: iaa-transportation.com
