CONEXPO 2026 Trends: Hybrid Systems Are the Future in the Construction Industry

With more than 140,000 attendees from 128 countries, CONEXPO-CON/AGG (CONEXPO) 2026, North America’s largest construction trade show, spanned more than three million square feet of exhibit space. Over 2,000 exhibitors showcased their latest equipment, technology and services across every major construction sector. These exhibitors included Turntide Technologies, which also launched the Axial Flux Electric Drive Unit (EDU) at the event.

“[CONEXPO] is where the construction industry comes to see what’s next,” said Dana Wuesthoff, show director, CONEXPO. “This week demonstrated the resilience and ingenuity of our industry. From advanced machinery to digital tools that help crews work safer and smarter, the innovations unveiled here will shape jobsites for years to come.”

Turntide CEO Steve Hornyak also had the opportunity to talk with the OEM Off-Highway team about the launch of the EDU and the diesel-hybrid trend. Check out this video to learn more.

Many trends were evident during the five-day event. Among them were  a shift to hybrid systems instead of fully electric, industry hesitancy to move away from fossil fuels, system-level solutions, advances in axial flux motors, artificial intelligence (AI) and the rise of OEMs from China. Several editors, analysts, and other experts weighed in on the trends during the event and in the industry in general.

Steve Hornyak, CEO Turntide Technologies

The smaller, lighter, and higher torque dense form factor of axial flux motors and axial flux motor EDUs is fulfilling a market need in electrification across diverse industries. Inline hybrid (diesel and gas) will be a hyper growth area of opportunity that is better suited for axial flux motors than traditional radial flux motors.

The move to electrification and hybridization is growing and is now supported by value/performance versus subsidization, which is good for everyone. Internal combustion engines are thriving and will persist. They will be complimented by all electric platforms and hybrid platforms. It is an AND not an OR drive unit future.

Becky Schultz, Content Director, KHL Media, & Editor Power Progress

[CONEXPO] 2026 was a whirlwind when it came to showcasing the different paths [that] original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers are taking to deliver greater efficiencies to end users. We saw a growing number of suppliers highlight a partnership approach to working with OEMs to deliver solutions that minimize the complexity of component integration and enable OEMs to focus on aspects of machine design that they do best. 

We saw further emphasis on hybrid solutions that marry traditional systems with electrification, as well as a corresponding shift toward expanded digitalization and automation/autonomy, which such hybrid systems can help enable. Also at the forefront was the growing reliance on AI to manage data and deliver actionable insights to both OEMs and end users—including in the form of “AI assistants” to manage, maintain and troubleshoot machines. And this only scratches the surface of all that we learned at this industry-leading/defining event!

Ryan Grodzki, VP, Strategic Partnerships, Turntide Technologies

In prior years at CONEXPO and similar shows, there was a large push/focus on full-on electrification. In 2026, much more emphasis on hybrid solutions, diesel-electric, across not just construction but across all mobility and industrial sectors

Perhaps driven by our display of the Axial Flux EDU,  we had more discussions around a systems level approach versus individual products. This included many inquiries about how we work with Component A or B or Partner Product C or D and future integration capabilities. 

Alastair Hayfield, Vice President, Interact Analysis

There was a huge amount of energy at CONEXPO in 2026 as the U.S. market returns to growth mode. Key themes included autonomy, expanded and refreshed product portfolios, and the surge of Chinese OEMs. Although the appetite for electric machinery is lower in the U.S. than Europe or China, it is noteworthy that many vendors were showing electrified machines and many suppliers were still highlighting solutions to address market demand.

Sara Jensen, Executive Editor, Power & Motion

The conversations and technology developments that stood out to me were those related to sensor advancements, increasingly important components in fluid power and other system and machine designs, as well as efforts being made to improve ease of use for both design teams and end users. Forward-looking technologies were on display, but it felt much more like this year’s show was focused on developments capable of providing more immediate benefits with what is technologically feasible now. 

Joshua Felt, North America Business Development Director, Turntide

OEMs have an overall hesitation towards electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid at this point. Everyone knows it is coming. They know there is value, but they poured so much money into pure EV play over the last five years and don’t have a return on investment. For this reason, they are hesitant to spend more. What was expected to be a first mover advantage has turned to more of a let’s let someone else seed the market.  

CONEXPO 2029

As the industry continues to evolve, CONEXPO remains a premier destination for discovering solutions, building partnerships and preparing for the demands of tomorrow’s jobsites. CONEXPO will return March 13-17, 2029.