Prior to the show, journalists across 必赢体育 Group, which publishes Construction Briefing, met and spoke with hundreds of exhibitors to find out what visitors can expect to see at the world鈥檚 largest equipment show.

Some exhibitors鈥� plans remain under wraps, but in today鈥檚 Construction Briefing, we have distilled those conversations into a list of 8 things to look out for at Bauma, whether it is individual machine launches, trends, or hot-button topics:

1) A different approach to electrification

There will be no shortage of battery powered machines at Bauma 鈥� and probably quite a few hydrogen propelled ones as well 鈥� but excavator specialist Kubota will be taking a slightly different approach, by showing a battery power retrofit kit for two of its best-selling machines, the KX19 and the U27-4.

Kubota will be showing a battery power retrofit kit for two of its best-selling machines, the KX19 and the U27-4 (pictured, image courtesy of Kubota)

The kits can be fitted to a diesel-powered machine by a dealer in one day and will allow owners and rental companies to dip their toes into electrification without breaking the bank 鈥� and then retract their toes by 鈥榬etro-retro-fitting鈥� a diesel engine when it comes to selling the machine on.

This approach brings its benefits but is an example of a kind of 鈥榖ridge鈥� approach to electrification. One drawback is that fitting a battery pack to a diesel machine will not exploit the efficiency gains possible in designing a machine ground-up as electric.

Still, it provides buyers with another option and that is a good thing.

Plenty of other exhibitors will continue to give pride of place to their latest electric offerings. Volvo Construction Equipment will feature only electric equipment on its stand, which it says will be the first-ever zero-emission-only line-up at Bauma.

Meanwhile, Zeppelin Rental, part of Zeppelin Group, will use Bauma to discuss the electrification of the industry and emission-free machines on its 2,000 sq m stand.

A highlight will be the Zeppelin Rental Dome, which will enable visitors to explore its rental services in an interactive environment.

Some 180 members of the Zeppelin team will also be in hand to highlight its sustainable and efficient technology from its ecoRent program and environmentally friendly solutions, including an electric 906e Caterpillar wheeled loader, an electric skid steer loader - the Elise 700 from FirstGreen Industries.

2) Further advances in autonomy

Bauma 2025 will see another push for greater (not so much full) autonomy from machines. This is led by a shortage of experienced operators, but also that autonomous machines are very good at completing operations using the least possible power.

Liebherr and Fortescue jointly developed an autonomous battery-electric T 264 truck, seen here at MinExpo International in Las Vegas in 2024. (Photo: Chad Elmore)

Develon (formerly known as Doosan) will unveil its Real X autonomous crawler excavator at the show. Promising to take machine autonomy up a level, the Real X is reportedly capable of carrying out a series of tasks autonomously, including trenching and earthworks.

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe), in addition to having its largest-ever electric excavator line-up, will also be displaying an autonomous 14-tonne electric excavator, although so far it has revealed few further details.

And Liebherr鈥檚 huge T 264 battery-driven, autonomous mining truck will also make an appearance. It will be among 70 exhibits from the earthmoving, material handling, mining, mobile and crawler cranes, tower cranes, deep foundation equipment, concrete technology and components product sectors, on Liebherr鈥檚 huge 14,000 sq m display area.

3) Proximity alarms

Alarms that identify human beings straying too close to working machines have been around for a few years, but advances in camera technology allied to AI systems are making these products much more reliable and sophisticated.

Wacker Neuson鈥檚 Active Sense Control will be on display at Bauma 2025 (Image: Wacker Neuson)

It may be that Bauma 2025 will see such systems gain wider acceptability 鈥� a coming of age, if you like. Wacker Neuson (for site dumpers) and Kobelco (excavators) will be among the OEMs demonstrating proximity alarms.

This kind of technology isn鈥檛 easy to develop. Normal operation of a machine has to be allowed, so the system needs to be able to distinguish between people and loads or other machines, and there also need to be operating protocols. For example, does the machine simply warn the operator, slow down its movements, or halt operation entirely?

Bauma is going to present a fantastic opportunity to get to grips with the possibilities.

4) Bigger, lower-emission crawler cranes

The offerings from two crane exhibitors 鈥� Sennebogen and Grove 鈥� demonstrate growing demand for larger telescopic crawler cranes, as well as the broadening spectrum of power options.

Sennebogen鈥檚 6203 E telescopic crawler crane (Image courtesy of Sennebogen)

German manufacturer Sennebogen has expanded its telescopic boom crawler crane range upwards with a new top model.

The range-topping 6203 E has a capacity rating of 200 tonnes and a 78-metre maximum reach. It is the 10th telescopic boom model in the range. Typical applications include heavy precast concrete construction, bridges and infrastructure and as a service crane in the wind energy industry.

Power for the 6203 E is from a 194 kW EU Stage V diesel engine. As with the other Sennebogen models with Stage V emissions standard engines, this latest one can be fuelled by HVO.

A clear highlight from Manitowoc鈥檚 Grove mobile crane brand display at Bauma will be a 150-tonne capacity plug-in hybrid all terrain crane on a five axle carrier and available in two versions. The GMK5150L-1e (60 metre boom) and GMK5150XLe (68.7 metres) offer as much as a full day (five hours) of emissions-free lifting, the manufacturer said.

It has a fully electric upper works for crane operation. Loads charts are the same as for the diesel versions. The battery offers a capacity of 180 kWh. Charging can be done by plugging the crane into a grid connection or from a 170 kW generator mounted onboard the crane in the carrier. The running time can be extended to around 20 hours when the crane is connected to the electricity grid via its cable.

The big new hybrid will be one of seven Grove models on show.

5) Future engines

Major engine manufacturers including US-based Cummins and UK-based Perkins will offer a glimpse of what the internal combustion engines of the future will look like for off-highway equipment.

The Cummins X15 diesel engine. (Photo: Cummins)

Perkins will showcase its upcoming 2606 model engine at Bauma. The 12.9-litre, six-cylinder engine will replace the existing 15- and 18-litre models thanks to its superior power output, with power outputs ranging from 340 to 515 kW. The engine, which is EU Stage 5, US EPA Tier 4, and all other global emissions standards, is also HVO/renewable diesel and biodiesel compatible.

Cummins will be showing off its fuel-agnostic, 15-litre X15 engine, which is part of the HELM (higher efficiency, lower emissions, multiple fuels) platform.

And JCB鈥檚 new hydrogen combustion engine, which adapts existing engine technology with readily available components, will also make an appearance on its stand.

6) More OEM consolidation?

Buyers of machines have a big stake in the future of the brands they buy: an acquisition and rebranding can impact on used machine values and create uncertainty over continuity of service and parts.

News that France鈥檚 Fayat Group is to acquire Mecalac will likely cause few such concerns. Fayat has a track record of running multiple brands - Bomag, Dynapac and Marini among them 鈥� and is already present throughout the markets that Mecalac serves.

Still, that deal highlights that the OEM landscape is not fixed in stone. Consolidation in certain areas is anticipated, especially in a sector like aerial platforms which is highly exposed to a single buying group 鈥� equipment rental companies - that is itself undergoing consolidation.

There is no better place than Bauma to hear talk of possible mergers and acquisitions and is one of the things that makes the show interesting for equipment buyers.

7) The continued march of tech to aid operators

While some OEMs boast autonomous machines on their stands, many others will be debuting technology that assists human operators with an increasing level of sophistication.

Develon鈥檚 Transparent Bucket 2.0 Version. Image: Develon

iDig will showcase its range of advanced 2D and 3D excavator guidance systems, designed to enhance efficiency on construction sites. The systems are cable-free, solar-powered, and compatible with all types of excavators.

Among the highlights will be the Touch 2D system, which allows operators to check grades and monitor progress from the cab without having to exit the machine. The system enables users to set target slopes and depths directly on the in-cab screen, with real-time updates displayed through an LED bar graph.

Additionally, iDig will feature the Connect range, a scalable solution that transitions from 2D to 3D. The system enables operators to survey, stake, and visualise projects in real-time.

Over on Develon鈥檚 stand, visitors will get the chance to see 鈥� or perhaps not see 鈥� AI-powered Transparent Bucket 2.0 (TB2.0). Designed for wheel loaders, which typically have a blind spot in front of the machine due to its raised bucket, high-tech front-mounted cameras to create a real-time see-through effect on the cab monitor. This gives the operator a clear view of the obstructed area, ensuring greater awareness and precision when handling materials.

Building on the success of the previous version of the system, TB2.0 introduces AI-powered Object Detection (OD) and Object Recognition to provide enhanced safety and real-time hazard alerts.

AI-powered OD identifies objects 鈥� including people 鈥� within 10m and immediately alerts the operator with a red triangular warning on the monitor. With Advanced Object Recognition, the system learns the position of the bucket and automatically adjusts the composite image to match the movement of the bucket, ensuring accurate real-time visualisation.

8) Hydrogen-powered machines proliferate

Bauma 2025 will see several new hydrogen-powered machine prototypes on display. Notably, Hyundai Construction Equipment鈥檚 18-strong line-up of machines (of which 10 are new or updated) will include the a pre-production version of the HW155H, a 15-tonne wheeled excavator which is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system.

HW155H hydrogen fuel cell wheeled excavator (Photo: Hyundai CE)

At Bauma 2022, this was a static model, but at this year鈥檚 event the machine will be working in the demonstration area. The fuel cell delivers between 70 and 100 kW of power which is sent to the electric drive motors and the electrically driven hydraulic pumps. Onboard fuel H2 fuel capacity supports up to eight hours of continuous operation, while refuelling takes about 20 minutes. The HW155H will be paired with a new low-pressure 鈥榟ydrogen distribution vehicle鈥� to demonstrate how the machine can be supplied with zero-emission fuel. The Hyundai CE HW155H has been nominated for a Bauma 2025 Innovation Award.

Taking center stage among the eight machines on Niftylift鈥檚 booth (FS.1003/2) at this year鈥檚 Bauma exhibition in Munich, will be the Hydrogen-Electric HR17 H2E which launched in 2024 and is being exhibited at a global exhibition for the first time.

Since its launch, HR17 H2E units have been delivered to users in the UK, Germany, France and the Middle East, as customers look for equipment that can help them meet their sustainability objectives. The unit鈥檚 onboard hydrogen fuel cells offer zero-emissions operation and emit only water vapour.

Companies dedicated to hydrogen solutions will also feature among the ranks of exhibitors at the show. Ostermeier H2ydrogen Solutions will showcase a series of electrolysers (from 2 to 100 kW), together with other hardware needed to support on-site hydrogen production.