The Urban Vibro Truck is a seismic survey vehicle developed specifically for urban environments and one that could play a key role in the evolution of geothermal energy in Europe.
The truck, built by Herrenknecht AG, picked up the Ruggero Bertani European Geothermal Innovation Award 2026 from the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) earlier this year at the European Geothermal Innovation Awards.
These awards recognise companies that make outstanding contributions to advancing geothermal energy in Europe.
Herrenknecht’s Urban Vibro Truck is a vehicle that is specifically designed for carrying out seismic surveys in towns and cities.
Its significantly reduced noise emissions enable surveys to be carried out during the night while minimising impacts on local residents.
The vehicle also has EU road approval as a tractor, which can reduce permitting requirements for seismic survey activities.
Speaking after the awards, which took place in Germany in February, Daniel Jaskulski, Division Manager – New Applications, Herrenknecht AG, said the vehicle is already working hard collecting data.
“We didn’t just build a nice vehicle that looks good, we have built a very functional vehicle which can make a real difference for the geothermal sector because now we can conduct seismic surveys much faster and also with better quality, and this is the most important thing,” he said.
The first Urban Vibro Truck was built as a scientific test vehicle, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, with additional trucks now in production.
“We already have one truck that can carry out surveys in towns and cities, and our goal is to have 10 of our Urban Vibro Trucks on the market by the end of 2026,” said Jaskulski.
The Ruggero Bertani European Geothermal Innovation Award is given to companies which have made an outstanding contribution towards the field of geothermal energy in the form of innovative products, scientific research or project initiatives.