IAA Transportation 2026 closes with 140,000 visitors and a record international presence
More than 140,000 people attended IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, where 1,589 exhibitors from 46 countries presented over 150 world premieres and new products. International participation reached a new high, while electrification, charging infrastructure, hydrogen and autonomous driving dominated much of the industry discussion.
IAA Transportation 2026 has closed its doors in Hannover after six days in which the commercial vehicle industry offered perhaps its clearest picture yet of the technologies competing to shape the future of road transport. Here’s the dedicated section on our website, with real-time updates.
The event attracted more than 140,000 visitors, including over 113,000 industry professionals during the weekdays. A total of 1,589 exhibitors from 46 countries participated, setting a new record for international representation, with particularly strong participation from China, Turkey and Italy.
International visitors accounted for 40% of trade attendance, up from 34% in 2024, with the Netherlands, China and Poland providing the largest contingents from outside Germany. More than 150 world premieres and new products were presented during the show.
Electrification moves closer to real-world operation
Electrification was inevitably one of the dominant themes in Hannover, but the discussion increasingly extended beyond the vehicles themselves.
New-generation electric trucks and vans were accompanied by megawatt charging systems, depot infrastructure, energy storage and fleet management solutions, reflecting the growing attention being paid to how zero-emission vehicles can actually be integrated into daily transport operations.
Hydrogen also retained a significant presence, both through new vehicle projects and through initiatives bringing together truck manufacturers, technology suppliers, hydrogen producers and refuelling operators. Autonomous driving, software-defined vehicles and artificial intelligence were other major themes highlighted throughout the event.
The transformation could also be experienced outside the stands. A record 84 vehicles from 17 exhibitors were available for test drives, compared with 60 in 2024. Around 8,500 test drives were completed during the event, an increase of 32.5%.
Megawatt charging was demonstrated in real operating conditions as well, with Milence showing MCS charging on electric trucks from Daimler Truck, MAN and Scania during the event.
VDA calls for faster infrastructure rollout
Alongside the new products, the gap between vehicle availability and the conditions required for large-scale zero-emission truck deployment remained a central issue.
Hildegard Müller, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), called on policymakers in Germany and Brussels to accelerate the deployment of charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and address energy costs.
The VDA also argues that European CO₂ targets for heavy-duty vehicles should be linked to measurable progress in infrastructure deployment and actual zero-emission vehicle market development.
The industry’s position is that manufacturers have brought an increasingly mature range of zero-emission vehicles to market, while infrastructure and other enabling conditions are not developing at the same pace.
IAA Transportation will return to Hannover from 19 to 24 September 2028, with Press Day scheduled for 18 September.
