Brussels Airport back to profit and plans to slash 1.500 night flights

May 25, 2023

Brussels Airport Company, the operator of Zaventem airport, posted a net profit of 16 million euros last year. It is the first time in three years that it’s back in the black. “The profit in 2022 was still limited, but it does shed light at the end of the tunnel,” said airport chief Arnaud Feist. […]

Uber Commission: no illegal practices by Brussels government members

May 23, 2023

The Brussels Parliament’s special Uber Commission has not found any “illegal or illicit practices” on the part of government members or illegal lobbying practices by both Uber and actors in the traditional taxi sector. Those findings, 20 in general, were approved on Monday by all political groups except PVDA, and 14 recommendations were also formulated. […]

Volvo receives record order for up to 1.000 e-trucks

May 22, 2023

Volvo Trucks has signed a letter of intent to sell 1 000 electric trucks between now and 2030 to Holcim, one of the world’s largest building solution providers. The deal is the largest commercial order to date for the company’s electric rate. The first 130 electric Volvo FH and FM trucks will be delivered to […]

Transport federations also want kilometer charge for passenger cars

May 15, 2023

The Flemish government has adopted the updated Flemish Energy and Climate Plan (VEKP). To meet the target of -40% greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the government is taking additional measures, including extending the truck kilometer charge and a support mechanism for new and second-hand zero-emission vehicles. However, the Transport Federations regret that kilometer charging for […]

Colruyt starts testing with electric 44-ton and refrigerated trucks

May 10, 2023

Colruyt is working toward its goal of having all of its transport operations zero-emission by 2035. The retail group has taken delivery of a 44-ton Volvo FM Electric and five smaller electric refrigerated trucks from Volvo and Scania. The heavy truck will distribute goods to the Colruyt Group supermarkets and stores, while the refrigerated trucks […]

Iveco and Nikola to go their own way in zero-emission trucks

May 10, 2023

Italian commercial vehicle manufacturer Iveco and American electric truck startup Nikola are going their own way from now, the first focussing on Europe, the other on its North American market. Iveco will assume full ownership of the joint venture in Ulm, Germany. Iveco Group acquires the JV partially by paying in cash ($35 million) and […]

Sweden and Florida go for electrified roads to charge EVs

May 10, 2023

Sweden is set to convert a motorway into a permanent electrified road, allowing electric cars and e-trucks to charge while driving. According to reports from Euronews, the Swedish transport authority Trafikverket has selected the E20 motorway to undergo the conversion. In the U.S. state of Florida, ENRX is working on a similar project. The Europan […]

Volvo starts testing 1.000 km range hydrogen truck on public roads

May 08, 2023

After unveiling the prototype in 2022, Volvo Trucks has started testing its hydrogen fuel cell electric truck on public roads. It promises a range of 1 000 km, with refueling times of less than 15 minutes. But series production is still a few years away. In June 2022, Volvo Trucks presented its hydrogen-electric heavy truck, […]

California to phase out ICE trucks sales by 2036 to 2042

May 04, 2023

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has voted unanimously to start phasing out trucks with internal combustion engines (ICE) by mandating zero-emission vehicles in fleets with the so-called Advanced Clean Fleets regulation. The first phase is set to start in 2025 in harbor environments, followed by a sales stop for combustion box trucks, vans, buses, […]

Rail freight company Lineas gets €20 million capital injection

May 03, 2023

Lineas, Europe’s largest private rail freight operator headquartered in Belgium, is eyeing a 20 million euros capital injection. This is reported by the business newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo. The rail freight company’s two shareholders, French investment fund Argos Wityu (90%) and the federal government (10%), are working on a first tranche of capital increase. […]

Daimler’s Fuso returns to US as Rizon with medium-duty electric trucks

May 03, 2023

Three years after Daimler Truck pulled Fuso from the US market, the Japanese brand is making a comeback as Rizon, which brings rebadged eCanter medium-duty electric trucks to the States to offer a wider gamut of EV options to transporters. Daimler Truck is not saying as much, but the newly-announced Rizon brand for the US […]

Energia: ‘diesel still accounts for 70% of Belgian road transport’

May 03, 2023

With 70% of total consumption, diesel remains Belgium’s main fuel for road transport. This is shown by figures from Energia, the voice tube of the country’s petroleum sector. Nevertheless, it remains striking that fuel continues to make up most of what is refueled while fewer and fewer new diesel cars are being bought. In general, […]

New kilometer charge tariffs for trucks from 1 July

April 26, 2023

As of Saturday, 1 July 2023, new tariffs for the kilometer charge will apply in Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia. In Flanders and Brussels, this is an index adjustment. The tariffs for the kilometer charge were indexed in Wallonia on 1 January, and Sofico (Société wallonne de financement complémentaire des infrastructures) will implement a tariff adjustment […]

Daimler showcases Unimog U 430 offroad truck on hydrogen

April 26, 2023

At the European Demopark open-air exhibition for the green industry, Daimler Truck showcased a demonstrator prototype of its offroad truck, the Unimog, with a hydrogen combustion engine. This hydrogen Unimog based on the U 430 is part of the WaVe project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. This project […]

DAF Eindhoven inaugurates new electric truck assembly (update)

April 26, 2023

Already in January, DAF Trucks finished its Eindhoven compound’s new assembly line for electric trucks. Now, the Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate, has officially cut the ribbon for the inauguration of the 5 000 square meter DAF Electric Truck Assembly. The DAF XD and XF Electric presented at IAA 2022 will start rolling […]

Scania’s long haul Northvolt battery to last 1,5 million km

April 20, 2023

Scania is starting production of its regional long-haul electric heavy-duty trucks later this year, with a range of about 350 km. Powering these trucks is a new battery from Northvolt, with prismatic cells, a 1,5 million km lifespan, and a much smaller carbon footprint compared to the industry average. Scania and Northvolt started the development […]

Minister De Sutter wants tax deduction for e-vans

April 11, 2023

The greening of the van fleet is progressing slowly. That is why Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter (Groen) wants to make electric vans more tax-efficient. De Sutter pleads for a temporary increase of the tax deductibility from 8 to 40 percent. In other words, a self-employed person or SME buying an environmentally friendly van […]

‘Beer train’ from AB InBev brewery and Delhaize never ran

April 06, 2023

Five years ago, with much ado, the so-called ‘beer train’ was launched, a train between the AB InBev brewery in Jupille, Liège, and the distribution center of the supermarket chain Delhaize in Ninove, East Flanders. That train was supposed to take 5 000 trucks a year off the road. Now it turns out that it […]

Daimler Truck secures order of 200 electric Freightliners for California

March 29, 2023

Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing has placed a large order of 200 electric Freightliner trucks, which will mainly be used in Southern California. The Freightliner eM2 medium duty and eCascadia heavy-duty e-trucks have a driving range of up to 230 miles and will be offered to Velocity’s fleet customers, including a charging service. Daimler Truck’s […]

Lineas opens new freight train link from Ghent to Lyon

March 22, 2023

The port of Ghent (North Sea Port) and shipping company DFDS have joined forces. Together, they have inaugurated a new freight train connection to transport 8 000 containers annually to and from Lyon. Now, there is a new multimodal connection between Sweden, Belgium, and France. Freight train operator Lineas will initially run the train three […]

Is retro-looking Morris JE van finally becoming reality?

March 22, 2023

Morris Commercial, the UK-based automotive engineering and manufacturing start-up, has completed a funding round, securing new investment for producing the Morris J-Type, a small van initially produced in the 1950s. The tiny ID. Buzz’s rival was to hit the road in 2021 but has yet to make it to production. The new launch date is […]

DAF rakes in order for 75 fully electric trucks for UK

March 20, 2023

DAF Trucks has raked in a significant order for 1 500 trucks, among which at least 75 fully electric LF and XD trucks, for the British truck rental and leasing company Asset Alliance Group (AAG). With the electric trucks besides the diesel versions, AAG wants to attract new customers in a fast-evolving market for e-trucks, […]

DHL Belgium kickstarts electric transition with 100 Ford e-Transits

March 17, 2023

In its Antwerp hub, DHL Belgium took delivery of its first batch of electric vans. It’s the first step in the company’s goal to deploy an entire zero-emission fleet by 2030. The choice for the Ford e-Transit is no coincidence. DHL was a partner during the product development phase. The hundred zero-emission e-Transit models won’t […]

Hyundai’s H2 ICE truck engine ready for mass production in 2025

March 15, 2023

Hyundai Doosan Infracore (HDI), the manufacturer of heavy machinery and construction equipment, has developed a hydrogen combustion engine. Not for passenger vehicle use but for commercial vehicles, construction equipment, and power generators. The 11-liter unit will be ready for mass production by 2025. HDI has completed the design of its hydrogen combustion engine for commercial […]

Volta Zero gets European type approval and is ready for production

March 14, 2023

The 16-ton electric Volta Zero from Swedish start-up Volta Trucks has received its European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, which means it can be sold in Europe and that it’s finalized for production. Series production of the Volta Zero is expected to begin soon, with an “early Q2 2023” deadline set by the company. Volta Trucks […]

Fraudulent trucks responsible for major emissions in Belgian ports

March 10, 2023

A small group of defective or fraudulent vehicles is responsible for many harmful emissions in the Belgian port area. This is according to a study by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges that used ‘remote sensing’ to measure emissions from passing vehicles in and around the port. Based on such measurements, the researchers estimated that a truck […]

Oosterweel yard: this year mainly works on Right Bank

March 08, 2023

The focus of the Oosterweel works this year will be on the Right Bank of the river Scheldt. The first utility works in Antwerp are underway, but this autumn, both the construction of the bypass, temporarily replacing the Merksem viaduct, and the construction of the channel tunnels under the Albert Canal will start. In recent […]

Volvo Trucks sold 4.300 electric heavy trucks in 38 countries

February 23, 2023

Since its first fully electric trucks hit the road in 2019, Volvo Trucks has sold more than 4 300 electric trucks worldwide in 38 countries. It claims to be the European market leader in 2022, with a 32% share in the heavy electric truck market and an even greater share in the Americas (US and […]

British Tevva hydrogen truck manages 560 km driving range

February 16, 2023

British zero-emission truck manufacturer Tevva has completed a range test with its hydrogen-electric medium-heavy truck. Driving in wintery conditions between London and the northernmost tip of England, the Tevva truck reached a range of 563 km, proving its usefulness in medium-range cargo transport. Tevva Motors was founded in 2013 by the Israeli-American Asher Bennett, who […]

EU wants heavy trucks to reduce CO2 by 90% in 2040

February 15, 2023

While the European Parliament finally ratified on Tuesday in Strasbourg the agreement with the 27 member states to ban all sales of new cars and vans with a combustion engine beyond 2035, heavy trucks and buses were targeted a few hours later by the Commission. They will have to reduce CO2 emissions by 90% in […]

ICCT white paper: ‘battery-electric clear path to take for heavy trucks ‘

February 10, 2023

While the EU Commission is preparing a draft on future emission standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses (HDVs), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has published in a white paper its findings comparing life assessment greenhouse gas emissions of diesel, gas, bio-fuel, battery-electric, and fuel cell heavy trucks. And the clear winner is… no […]

Freight transport by rail drops to lowest level in six years

February 08, 2023

Last year, freight transport by train fell by 7,5% compared to 2021. According to data on the open website of rail network manager Infrabel, it reached its lowest level in six years, with 58,3 million tons. In 2021, freight transport by train reached its highest level in more than ten years, with almost 63 million […]

Total Energies and Air Liquide to build +100 truck hydrogen stations

February 03, 2023

More than a hundred TotalEnergies hydrogen stations for trucks will appear along major highways in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg in the next few years. French companies TotalEnergies and Air Liquide are creating a joint venture for this purpose. According to specialists, there are currently 250 hydrogen stations in Europe. By 2030, the […]

Viapass: ‘Ukraine war also impacts Belgian transport’

January 31, 2023

The number of toll kilometers driven in Belgium fell last year due to the war in Ukraine, so reports Viapass. This public body coordinates and organizes road pricing in Belgium. Still, revenues from tolls rose to 829,3 million euros in 2022, or a slight increase of 1,86%, but this is mainly due to the indexation […]

Self-driving shuttle at Brussels Airport turns out to be ‘too complex’

January 23, 2023

The project to run a self-driving electric shuttle bus at Brussels Airport has been called off. Nearly eight years after initial plans, the development of such a bus is proving too complex. The cancellation of the urban autonomous transport project in cooperation with about four Flemish cities is another setback for De Lijn in its […]

‘At least 25% of last-mile deliveries should be done by bike’

January 17, 2023

Minister Petra De Sutter (Groen) wants more parcels delivered by bicycle, she said during a company visit to Cargo Velo, the all-round urban courier service operational in Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels. E-commerce is still booming, partly due to the corona crisis, but, unfortunately, most deliveries are still made by vans. However, according to experts, at […]

Carrefour starts robot delivery pilot in Belgium

January 17, 2023

After Colruyt started experimenting with an Estonian delivery robot in November, French supermarket chain Carrefour is setting up a pilot in the business park Corporate Village in Zaventem near Brussels with a Turkish-branded autonomous robot. After the first test panel of twenty people, everybody in the Corporate Village will be able, starting next week, to […]

Frontline pulls plug on intended merger with Euronav (update)

January 11, 2023

The intended merger between the Norwegian oil tanker shipping company under Cypriot flag, Frontline, and the Belgian sector peer Euronav is definitely off. Frontline pulls the plug, and the company does not give an official reason for abandoning. In reaction to the news that came like a bolt from the blue, Euronav management says that […]

Flanders to allow wider bicycle trailers for last-mile deliveries

January 10, 2023

Flanders launches a two-year pilot project allowing large bicycle trailers on public roads. Flemish Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) hopes the experiment will contribute to the emission-free delivery of goods in city centers. Today, bicycle trailers may not be wider than one meter. However, during the pilot project, companies will be able to apply […]

‘EVs can spare €3.599 per vehicle per year in professional fleet’

January 10, 2023

An electric vehicle replacing one with a classic combustion engine (ICE) can spare a European company today on average €3 599 and 5 560 liters of fuel per year per vehicle. That represents a reduction of 15 tons of CO2 per vehicle, a new report based on telematics data from Webfleet shows. Webfleet is the […]

Tesla Semi gives a sneak peek of its 1.000 Volts battery

January 03, 2023

About a month after the first delivery event of the Tesla Semi, where it proved its 500-mile range, technical images have emerged of the long-haul electric truck revealing its battery location and more details about its weight. Tesla data miner @greentheonly on Twitter has shared a series of technical images of the Semi, revealing its […]

Scania to deliver 600 electric trucks for Girteka in Lithuania

December 27, 2022

Scania and the transportation company Girteka from Lithuania announce an extensive new partnership. Girteka expects Scania to deliver up to 600 battery-electric trucks over the next four years. The companies will also collaborate on establishing charging infrastructure. The aim is to help reduce Girteka’s customers’ climate emissions at competitive costs. Girteka Logistics was founded in […]

Last raised bridge over Albert Channel ready for traffic

December 23, 2022

Today, traffic will be able to cross the steel arch bridge over the Albert Channel in Viversel (Heusden-Zolder, Limburg, Belgium) again. That is what the Flemish Waterway (Vlaamse Waterweg) announced on Thursday. All bridges on the Channel had to be raised to allow inland shipping barges with four containers stacked on deck to pass under […]

US Postal Service greening its fleet with 66 000 EVs

December 22, 2022

The United States Postal Service (USPS) plans to deploy more than 66 000 electric vehicles by 2028. This will make it one of the largest electric vehicle fleets in the country. The company announced this on Tuesday. The vehicles purchased under this plan will replace the aging fleet of more than 220 000 vehicles, many […]

T&E: ‘Christmas presents increase air pollution by 133%’

December 20, 2022

Trucks hauling Christmas presents to Europeans will emit an extra 10 300 tons of nitrogen oxides in December. According to a new study by the environmental organization Transport & Environment (T&E), heavy-duty vehicles transporting gifts all over Europe will produce 133% more nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in December than in other months. Carbon emissions will […]

IKEA to deliver customers in Paris via the Seine

December 15, 2022

IKEA launched its first ‘low-carbon’ delivery operation to customers in Paris on Wednesday, with the help from the Belgian inland waterways specialist Blue Line Logistics. From now on, IKEA will use the Seine river and electric last-mile delivery vehicles to bring the furniture to the customers’ homes. “We are the first major distributor to serve […]

Volvo Trucks adds heavy box truck options to electric range

December 13, 2022

Volvo Trucks has expanded its electric range to include ‘rigid’ versions of the FH, FM, and FMX Electric: long-wheelbase versions for heavy box trucks, construction vehicles, or heavy distribution vehicles. These new trucks are primarily meant for urban use, but several battery and cab options are available. Volvo Trucks already produces lighter electric box trucks […]

Chinese BYD intends to build one or two European car factories

December 08, 2022

The Chinese car and bus manufacturer BYD (Build Your Dreams) has expressed an interest in building its own car factories in Europe. This move would support its European expansion and overcome issues with getting the cars shipped to our shores in the long term. For now, China’s biggest EV maker will start by buying up […]

Antwerp commissions two hydrogen-powered refuse trucks

December 08, 2022

The city of Antwerp welcomes two new hydrogen-powered municipal waste collection vehicles. A first for Flanders. The vehicles were introduced on Wednesday, December 7th, at the DATS 24 hydrogen filling station in Wilrijk (Antwerp, Belgium). Hydrogen-powered vehicles are very quiet and clean. They’re equipped with an electric motor and a fuel cell and only emit […]

Business coalition calls for 2035 deadline for zero-emissions trucks in EU

December 08, 2022

A business coalition of 45 companies is calling upon the EU Commission in an open letter to ensure all new freight trucks are zero-emission from 2035. With exceptions until 2040 for so-called ‘vocational trucks’ in niches like construction, mining, and timber industry having specific driving patterns. Among them are big names like Unilever, Henkel, PepsiCo, […]

EU truckmakers start fast-charging network under Milence brand name

December 07, 2022

Commercial Vehicle Charging Europe, the joint venture formed in July 2022 by the Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, and Traton Group, announced on Monday that it begins operating its fast-charging network for heavy trucks, buses, and coaches under the brand name Milence. Milence will initially focus on charging locations in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, […]

German tuner Abt believes in fuel cells for vans

December 05, 2022

Through its green subsidiary e-Line, German tuner Abt is starting to develop and produce a fuel cell driveline for vans. With daily ranges of 800 kilometers in express logistics not uncommon, it believes hydrogen is the preferred solution to battery-electric. “We see a sensible area of applications for the hydrogen fuel cell in long-distance logistics,” […]

Swedish Einride launches in Benelux with e-trucks for AB InBev

December 01, 2022

With a picture of its driverless sci-fi-like electric truck or T-Pod, ‘shot or conveniently Photoshoped (?)’, in front of the iconic Antwerp Port Authority building, the Swedish Einride has announced its official launch in the Benelux. Einride will deliver six fully electric trucks to Belgian beer brewer Ab InBev, which pledges to replace all its […]

Alstom preps Lineas shunting locomotive to drive fully autonomous

November 30, 2022

A locomotive of Belgian rail freight company Lineas carried out a demo run in the Netherlands fully autonomously on Tuesday. In the process, the locomotive also encountered obstacles on the rails, reports Alstom, which is developing the technology. The demonstration, which took place near Breda, concludes a series of tests that are part of a […]

Tesla Semi achieves 500-mile test drive days before delivery

November 30, 2022

With the first delivery of the Semi scheduled for this Thursday, December 1st, Elon Musk has announced on Twitter that Tesla’s long-haul truck has achieved a 500-mile (800 km) drive with a loaded trailer earlier this week. That would match the initial promises made by Musk back in 2017. As ever, Tesla CEO Elon Musk […]

T&E: ‘Truck emissions spike 94% during Black Friday week’

November 25, 2022

Truck transport is massively polluting, and the emissions from transporting retail goods spike 94% during Black Friday week. However, there is a ready-made solution in the form of zero-emission trucks, the European environmental lobbying group Transport and Environment (T&E) says. Black Friday is notorious for peak consumerism and waste. Trucking retail goods is a dirty […]

Renault Trucks starts delivery of 30 e-trucks to Coca-Cola Belux

November 25, 2022

On Thursday, Renault Trucks and Coca-Cola’s Belgian-Luxembourg branch Europacific Partners (CCEP) presented to the press the four first fully electric delivery trucks of a total fleet of thirty, which is to be commissioned in the next twelve months. The trucks with a range of 180 km to 400 km are charged overnight at Coca-Cola’s depot […]

Colruyt opens 4th hydrogen station and forces zero-emission transport by 2035

November 22, 2022

Belgian retail giant Colruyt Group will have its own truck fleet running on electricity or hydrogen by 2030 and forces all its suppliers to deliver using zero-emission transport by 2035. CEO Jef Colruyt announced the latter at the opening of the group’s fourth DATS 24 hydrogen station near its distribution center in Ollignies. According to […]

Toyota Parts Center Europe wants to do 25% more without additional staff

November 16, 2022

The Toyota Parts Center Europe (TPCE) in Diest, the Japanese car giant Toyota’s largest distribution center outside its home country, expects to increase its activities by 25%, but without recruiting. This was stated by Andy Sinton, head of the parts supply chain at Toyota Motor Europe, on Tuesday during a press visit to mark the […]

Flanders orders study to analyze kilometer tax applied to vans

November 09, 2022

Flemish Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) has launched a study into the possible extension (and greening) of truck kilometer tax. The study has to analyze whether the existing truck kilometer tax should be extended to vans. Road transport on Belgian roads keeps on growing. According to Viapass, the interregional government that manages and coordinates […]