In 2025, MAN Truck & Bus Italia recorded a turnover of €617 million, representing an 11 per cent increase compared to the previous year and marking the third consecutive annual record.
It's tempting to frame autonomous driving as a single leap. In public transport, adoption tends to be incremental - because the system is built for reliability, and new capabilities have to fit into daily operations without disrupting service. That is why a practical strategy is evolution, not revolution: introduce autonomy in a defined domain, learn safely in real operations, and expand capability step-by-step.
ReTyre's unique 'carbon-neutral' tire tech looks set to make big inroads in performance and real-world availability, thanks to a new development partnership with Vittoria and a fresh round of venture capital investment. Together, the funding and Vittoria collaboration will help ReTyre expand production of their pioneering sustainable tires. And it signals a shift from making tires for less-demanding applications like kids' bikes and strollers, stepping up to make durable, high-performance eco tires for everyday urban and commuting bikes and ebikes.
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), the Daimler Truck subsidiary responsible for the FUSO brand, has announced on January 22nd 2026 plans to create a standalone bus company in Japan together with Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), marking a further step in the convergence of traditional commercial vehicle manufacturing and electronics-led electric vehicle development. Katsuto Kora, currently Director and Head of FUSO Bus at MFTBC, has been designated CEO of the future company. The new bus company will be headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan, while vehicle development and manufacturing will be carried out at the existing FUSO bus plant in Toyama. Products will be marketed under the FUSO brand.
The framework covers vehicles powered by hydrogen, battery-electric and diesel technologies, as well as different bus formats including single-deck, double-deck, articulated and 6×2 models. Framework agreements are designed to streamline procurement processes by allowing public buyers to purchase vehicles without conducting a full open tender.
Goiânia has launched a fleet of electric bi-articulated buses in regular passenger service, deploying 21 high-capacity Volvo BZRT vehicles supported by a new dedicated charging hub. The Brazilian city has introduced 16 articulated and 5 bi-articulated battery-electric buses built on the Volvo Buses BZRT chassis and bodied by Marcopolo (Attivi model). The vehicles operate within the RMTC metropolitan public transport network, alongside the inauguration of the Eletroposto Oeste charging facility located at the METROBUS S.A. depot.
The Italian bus market closed 2025 with 4,112 registrations over 8 tonnes, including 1,230 zero-emission buses - equal to 30% of the total and up 20% year-on-year. Zero emission buses make over 65% of the city bus registrations. After the exceptional peak reached in 2024, the Italian bus market returned in 2025 to more structurally aligned volumes, while still confirming a historically solid level of demand. According to data processed by Italian trade media (and our sister platform) Autobusweb on the basis of Anfia registrations, the year ended with 4,112 new buses over 8 tonnes, down 15.8% compared with the previous year but well above long-term averages.
Diesel remains the backbone for moving massive loads across long distances. It provides the torque needed for heavy hauling that other fuel types just cannot match. Investment in diesel tech leads to better fuel systems and longer lifespans for newer models.
The Brussels public transport company STIB-MIVB has begun deploying the first units from a new batch of electric buses, consisting of 36 standard vehicles that are progressively entering service on routes 47, 56, 58 and 83. The vehicles are part of a wider delivery of 50 battery-electric buses scheduled to enter operation during 2026.
The first of the 121 Urbos models that CAF will deliver to ATAC has reached the Italian capital and will transform the city's rail-based public transport. The total investment amounts to more than €450 million. Numbered in the 9300 series and measuring 33.5 meters in length, the new vehicle will be able to carry up to 215 passengers, including 68 seated and two passengers with reduced mobility.
The Sigma 8 is a low-entry electric midibus measuring approximately 8.7 metres in length, with a width of about 2.3 metres and a height of roughly 3.1 metres. The vehicle can accommodate up to 54 passengers and is designed for feeder services, operations in dense urban centres and routes in residential districts with constrained street geometry.
Heating, cooling, and battery temperature control are among the biggest energy consumers in electric buses today - and thus have a direct impact on range, availability, and operating costs.
Autoguidovie, Italy, has launched a tender process to renew and expand its fleet, publishing a series of framework agreements that provide for the overall supply of up to 195 buses, accompanied by full-service maintenance contracts. The operation has a total economic value of more than €113 million. The strategy is a technology mix that includes plug-in electric buses, CNG-powered vehicles and diesel buses, as well as a diversification in size and class that reflects different operational needs.
Irizar e-mobility's ie bus Efficient, launched last year at Busworld Europe in Brussels, has been named 2026 Bus of the Year in Spain by the National Transport Awards jury. The recognition was announced during the National Transport Awards ceremony held at the Novotel Madrid Center hotel in Madrid, one of the country's established annual industry events dedicated to industrial and commercial vehicles.
Indian long-distance bus operator LeafyBus has signed an agreement with Eicher Trucks & Buses for the deployment of 100 electric intercity sleeper buses on national routes in India. The programme is centred on the Skyline Pro E 13.5-metre electric sleeper coach and foresees a phased rollout, with 35 vehicles scheduled to enter service by March 2026, according to India Times.