IVECO, a leading brand in the design, manufacture, and sale of commercial vehicles, has been awarded the XXIV International Barsanti e Matteucci Prize. This prestigious award celebrates technological excellence in the mobility sector and pays tribute to the ingenuity of Eugenio Barsanti, co-inventor of the internal combustion engine alongside Felice Matteucci.
Barsanti e Matteucci Prize. Image: IVECO
The official motivation for the award states: “IVECO, an Italian brand with strong industrial roots and a global presence, has successfully combined experience, technological innovation, and a sustainable vision to create vehicles that merge operational efficiency, driving comfort, and environmental respect. With a strong heritage and a constant drive for progress, IVECO continues to promote more efficient, connected, and sustainable transport, anticipating the needs of future mobility.”
Marco Liccardo, Chief Technology & Digital Officer of Iveco Group, receiving the trophy stated: “Receiving the Barsanti e Matteucci Prize on IVECO’s 50th anniversary is a deeply meaningful honour. Fifty years of pushing boundaries, innovation after innovation, to move the world of transport one step further. But the most exciting chapter is the one we have yet to write. Today, our vehicles are becoming intelligent platforms on wheels – connected, autonomous, aware – designed to improve the lives of people and businesses. This is the spirit that drives us: turning technology into progress, and vision into motion.”
Fifty years of history and innovation in transport
IVECO was founded in 1975 from the merger of five historic European companies – Fiat Veicoli Industriali, OM, Lancia Veicoli Speciali, Unic, and Magirus-Deutz – bringing together over 150 years of experience.
Marco Liccardo, Chief Technology & Digital Officer. Image: IVECO
Since then, the brand has embodied the pioneering spirit of Italian industry, blending mechanical ingenuity, design, and innovation.
In the 1980s, IVECO revolutionized the transport industry by introducing turbo engines, which quickly became a symbol of power and reliability. In the early 2000s, it was among the first manufacturers worldwide to embrace alternative propulsion, bringing natural gas technology across its entire range of vehicles – light, medium, and heavy-duty – a distinction it still holds today.
As early as 2006, with the launch of the first electric Daily, IVECO anticipated the shift toward zero-emission mobility. This pioneering journey led to the development of a comprehensive multi-energy lineup, including solutions powered by biomethane, HVO, battery electric, hydrogen combustion engines, and fuel cells. A strategy that reflects IVECO’s commitment to providing concrete and diversified answers to the operational needs of every customer, supporting them throughout their energy transition journey.
This pioneering path has led to a complete multi-energy range, including biomethane, HVO, battery electric, hydrogen combustion engines, and fuel cells. This strategy reflects IVECO’s commitment to offering concrete, diversified solutions to meet every customer’s needs and support their energy transition journey.
Today, on its 50th anniversary, IVECO continues to shape the future of transport, guided by a vision that integrates sustainability, digitalization, and industrial innovation. Its vehicles are becoming mobile digital ecosystems – connected and intelligent – capable of optimizing consumption, enhancing safety, and simplifying life for drivers and fleets. This ability to anticipate the future while staying rooted in its industrial heritage remains a key strength for IVECO and a benchmark in the ever-evolving transport industry.
With this recognition, IVECO joins the prestigious list Barsanti e Matteucci Prize winners (Albo D’Oro), alongside brands and figures who have shaped the history of mechanics and mobility, such as Ferrari, Piaggio, Bosch, Pininfarina, and Ducati.
