Steyr Automotive presents itself at IAA

Experienced industrialiser with start-up mentality

 

Under the slogan “We move tomorrow’s world!” Steyr Automotive presented itself to the international trade press and the industry audience at the IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover with its range of services as a contract manufacturer, as a full-range supplier in the field of research and development and also with the first design studies and concept vehicles of its own brand.

 

With more than 100 years of experience into the future

 

“At the Steyr plant we are proud of our tradition and our more than 100 years of history,” emphasises Johann Ecker, spokesman for the management of Steyr Automotive. “This long history not only means an enormous wealth of experience in the development and production of commercial vehicles, but is also proof of the resilience of this plant and its workforce to adapt to changing conditions. Responding flexibly to the demands of the times is practically in our DNA.”

 

With the takeover of the plant from MAN Truck & Bus a year ago, the company is undergoing a comprehensive transformation process – in addition to managing the challenges that exist on all sides, such as Corona, shortages in the supply of parts or the energy crisis.

 

“Our focus is clearly on leading this tradition-rich location into the future and establishing it as a competence centre for the mobility requirements of tomorrow. This means gaining a foothold with a completely new business model, which we have based on three cornerstones. In doing so, we act as an independent company with short decision-making paths. You could call us “experienced industrialisers with a start-up mentality”, says Ecker.

 

New standards in industrial contract manufacturing in Europe

 

The skills learned over more than 100 years, innovative strength, team spirit, regional anchoring with an international network, quality awareness and also pioneering spirit – all this forms the basis of the new company.

 

In addition, Steyr Automotive has a modern infrastructure, production capacities are flexibly adaptable and can be ramped up quickly, and production processes are oriented towards criteria of efficiency and sustainability. In the near future, Steyr Automotive will produce in a CO2-neutral way.

 

The location in the heart of Europe means good logistics connections, the employees are highly qualified, development and production competence are combined at one site.

 

With these prerequisites, Steyr Automotive is setting new standards in Europe in the area of contract manufacturing. There is currently no other supplier who could do this on the scale and with the individuality offered, depending on customer requirements.

 

 

Steyr Automotive currently produces for MAN Truck & Bus. Another important customer is Volta Trucks. Pre-series construction for Volta Trucks began in the summer, and series production will start at the beginning of next year. Steyr Automotive was also entrusted with the truck body, the so-called Volta Box.

 

But Steyr Automotive is not only a reliable partner for start-ups, but also for discontinued production or peak covers of established OEMs.

 

In addition, Steyr operates one of Europe’s largest paint shops for truck plastic add-on parts and also has a metal paint shop and a manual paint line.

 

 

Full-service provider in research & development

 

Steyr Automotive develops and researches as a full-range supplier from concept to series production. Openness to technology is a prerequisite, with sustainable, alternative forms of propulsion, materials, components and processes at the centre of activities. The combination of engineering and production expertise at the same location ensures that project goals can not only be achieved, but also implemented at planned costs. In addition, Steyr Automotive has a broad network at its disposal in order to be able to offer any special topic in a coordinated manner from a single source.

 

 

Steyr Automotive is OEM

 

In view of the expected strong increase in demand for zero-emission vehicles, Steyr Automotive has decided to equip its own brand vehicles exclusively with alternative drive systems.

 

The first concept vehicles and design studies of e-transporters and e-buses were shown at the IAA.

 

For LCVs (Light Commercial Vehicles), a platform is being developed in a first step, on which three body variants will initially be created:

Panel van, open body variant for flatbed or other superstructures and the open variants as double cab.

 

 

The objective is to be the benchmark for range, load capacity, robustness and TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).

 

The battery electric vehicles will be equipped with up to four battery packs of around 50 KW/h each, which means a practical range of 120 – 480 km combined according to WLTP.

Production will start with the N1 vehicle class with a total weight of 3.5 t – i.e. in the classic large van segment. Later, there will also be an N2 version with a higher total weight (4.25 t). From the beginning, vehicles with body variants L2H2 (3.35 m load compartment length) and L3H2 (4.3 m load compartment length) will be offered. Other derivatives will follow. The LCV concept also includes an open interface for connecting customised systems or even data exchange with common telematics systems. Production is scheduled to start in mid-2024.

 

The app “StART” (Steyr Automotive Range Tool), which is now available free of charge, has also been developed. It enables a pre-simulation of existing tours via tracking and thus creates a forecast of which configuration is required for the e-vehicle to complete this tour.

 

For buses, Steyr Automotive’s concepts envisage city buses of 6m, 9m and 12m in length with battery-electric drive and a range of 100 – 250 km. The plan is to create barrier-free accessible seating for local public transport through a continuous low-floor concept. There is no date set for the start of production yet, but it is conceivable that production will start in the second half of 2024. Based on the digital concepts, Steyr Automotive showed that there are intensive considerations and work on these topics, but above all also development activities concerning sustainable forms of drive.

 

 

Steyr stands for handshake quality

 

“Anyone who is interested in or decides to purchase a service from our portfolio – be it in the area of contract manufacturing, contract development or our Steyr Automotive brand vehicles – can be sure that we will deliver what the Steyr brand promises – down-to-earthness, reliability, competence,” Ecker concluded his remarks at the IAA press conference.

 

To the press release