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Motorists on Interstate 95 might be doing a double-take this summer as they share the road with a tractor-trailer hauling a highly unusual piece of cargo — a 5,500-pound Mars rover replica.

Sales of construction equipment in China and Europe and to the global mining industry increased second-quarter sales and net income for Volvo AB, while the diversified manufacturer’s truck division, its largest, treaded water.

Trailer orders in June notched the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year gains, as they topped 20,000, ACT Research Co. said.

U.S. retail sales of medium-duty trucks in June jumped almost 20% year-over-year, led by strong gains among the lightest-weight segments.

Mining companies in Australia, the world’s biggest exporter of iron ore and coal, are poised to approve fresh investments in projects, driven by rallying commodity prices and the need to replace depleting deposits, according to global equipment supply giant, Komatsu Ltd.

Navistar International Corp.’s OnCommand Connection Telematics product is available for purchase, as scheduled, after being introduced in March.

A technology developed by researchers at Purdue University could provide an “instantly rechargeable” method that is safe, affordable and environmentally friendly for recharging electric and hybrid vehicle batteries, according to the West Lafayette, Ind., school.

Tractor trailer drivers who crest a hill shouldn’t rely solely on brakes to slow them on the way down. Trucking experts say doing so can result in brake failure and preventable accidents, which they say are often caused by young and inexperienced drivers.

Volvo Trucks North America has opened a new customer center here to educate visitors about its products, and it features proving grounds for testing its trucks.