IAA TRANSPORTATION: German Federal Transport Minister Bilger visits MAHLE

(from left: Arnd Franz, MAHLE CEO, Federal Minister of Transport Steffen Bilger, VDA President Hildegard Müller, Olaf Lies, Minister President of Lower Saxony, Grant Hendrik Tonne, Minister of Economic Affairs, Transport and Building Lower Saxony)

As part of the opening tour of IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026 in Hanover, German Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger visited the technology group MAHLE. During the visit, CEO Arnd Franz presented the company’s new Range Extender system for battery-electric trucks. The compact unit extends vehicle range to more than 800 kilometers while reducing CO₂emissions by more than 80 percent compared with a conventional diesel truck during operation. When powered by HVO100, the vehicle can operate with virtually no CO₂emissions. “Our Range Extender makes electric mobility in long-haul transport more economical, flexible and practical,” said Arnd Franz. “This enables transport companies to transition to low-emission drivetrains much faster.”

Franz emphasized that the transformation of road freight transport will only succeed through a technology-neutral approach. In addition to battery-electric drivetrains, hydrogen, renewable fuels and Range Extenders will play an important role in achieving effective and economically viable CO₂ reduction. MAHLE advocates assessing all technologies based on their actual climate impact and designing regulatory frameworks that reflect real-world operating conditions. The company therefore welcomes the fact that the positive contribution of Range Extender vehicles to CO₂reduction is being considered at both the European and German levels as part of the ongoing development of truck toll regulations.