June 29, 2022
Rail freight company Lineas will fit more than 5 000 wagons with silent brake blocks with the support of the Belgian federal government. The investment of 2,18 million euros is part of the ‘Retrofit Project’ and should give rail freight a much-needed boost. The government’s ambition is to double the freight transported by rail by […]
June 28, 2022
A new study on the cost of decarbonizing European shipping shows that running ships on green hydrogen-based fuels would hardly make consumer goods more expensive. On the contrary, green shipping would add just a few cents to most consumer goods. “Green shipping would add less than 10 cents to a pair of Nikes,” says Faig […]
June 28, 2022
The Walloon government has reached an agreement on the new car taxation scheme that was already due for a certain time. Normally, the whole scheme should come into effect from 1 September 2023 onward and totally implemented by 2026. As well road tax and registration tax will be revised, the global ‘tax pressure’ should stay […]
June 23, 2022
In a second vote on the climate ambitions of the European Commission, assembled under the ‘Fit for 55‘ umbrella, the European Parliament has agreed with the remaining issues and measures to reduce greenhouse gases by 55% in 2030. A central issue is the reform and the enlargement of the Emission Trade System. The European car […]
June 22, 2022
An earlier EU phase-out date for cars and vans with internal combustion engines would net significant savings for European drivers and hugely reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to new calculations by Greenpeace Germany. “An end to sales of new gasoline, diesel, and hybrid cars in 2028 would reduce oil use enough to save drivers €635 […]
June 21, 2022
Sevic? Never heard of it? Well, that might change as the German EV engineering start-up has its first V500e vehicles delivered by Bulgarian contract EV manufacturer Milara International to Bochum for internal testing and client approval. And it’s ready to take the European cities. The compact light utility EV with a unique cargo swap system […]
June 21, 2022
Swedish truck builder Volvo Trucks has unveiled its first heavy-weight fuel cell electric truck with a range of more than 1 000 km and two 300 kW generating fuel cells on board to handle up to 65 tons of weight. Refueling takes only 15 minutes as a regular diesel truck. Cellcentric will provide the fuel […]
June 15, 2022
American fuel cell specialist Hyzon is buying itself an entry into the German zero-emission truck market by acquiring the Orten Group, one of the pioneers in Germany for the electrification of new and used commercial diesel vehicles. “The acquisition brings three fully-operational production facilities and a team of over 80 employees under the Hyzon umbrella. […]
June 15, 2022
Despite the 666 new job recruitments of train drivers and conductors, the Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB will cut 1 771 jobs in the coming ten years. On the other hand, the 666 new jobs will expand the train offer by 10%. Rail manager Infrabel will cut 900 jobs by 2032. The company estimates to need […]
June 08, 2022
Flanders is beefing up the subsidies for investments in sustainable trucks for heavy transport and buses. For hydrogen trucks, the subsidies even double. “The government wants to support the sustainable transition,” explained the Flemish Minister of Economy and Innovation, Jo Brouns (CD&V). That is also why the financial support for fossil alternatives like LNG or […]
June 02, 2022
Renault is extending its range of electrically powered vans with an EV version of the latest Kangoo, the Rapid E-Tech Electric. The arrival of an electric version of the newest generation Kangoo is a logical step. After all, the manufacturer also has a Master E-Tech Electric on offer in the larger van segment. This Kangoo […]
May 31, 2022
Daimler Truck has built the first prototypes of the battery-electric long-distance truck eActros LongHaul and plans to test them on public roads this year. In addition, the truck manufacturer has announced further variants of the eActros for distribution transport. The eActros is an electric truck for distribution transport, delivered since the end of February 2022. […]
May 25, 2022
On Tuesday, the CEO of the French railway operator SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farandou, announced that a new high-speed TGV line linking Paris to Berlin was in the making. It should be operational by December 2023, and connecting the two capital cities is around seven hours. “A few years ago, we thought it was a bit long, […]
May 23, 2022
In 2021, there were 41,1 million trucks, mostly foreign, on Belgium’s roads. Never before has this number been so high. This is evident from the report for its operating year drawn up by Viapass, the organisation that manages the kilometer charge for trucks in Belgium. Consequently, revenues for the kilometer charge are also peaking: 822 […]
May 17, 2022
In his eagerly awaited report, the intendant appointed by the Belgian government, Guy Vloebergh, concludes that the Ventilus line is best placed above ground. The high voltage connection, which must bring wind electricity from the North Sea onshore, has been strongly debated. Action groups now threaten with legal procedures, which would stall the project resulting […]
May 13, 2022
The Environmental Committee of the European Parliament has voted in favor of a sales ban on internal combustion engines for cars and vans as of 2035. The Committee dismissed synthetic fuels as a solution and didn’t adopt new interim CO2 targets for the automotive industry. The European lawmakers stayed close to the original proposal by […]
May 09, 2022
Febetra, the federation of Belgian haulers and logistic service providers, has used Mother’s Day to launch a call for more female truck drivers. The freight transport sector urgently needs to fill in 5 000 vacancies in the coming years. In Belgium, hardly 1,66% of truck drivers are female. In 98% of the cases, a man […]
May 09, 2022
We were allowed a sneak preview in a black box in Barcelona last week, but now it’s here for the whole world to see: Ford’s second all-electric van, the one-ton E-Transit Custom. Besides the exterior looks, there is still little specific information, except for the 380 km range of the EV and the ability to […]
May 03, 2022
The Flemish Government wants to continue to focus on alternatives to road transport, with companies choosing the proper mode of transportation for each flow of goods. It is extending the Multimodal Flanders project by five years until 2027. The organization behind the project, the Flemish Logistics Innovation Center (VIL), reported this. Transport via rail or […]
May 03, 2022
Daimler Truck, Europe’s leading manufacturer of buses and coaches, plans to turn the page on diesel-powered city buses by 2030, aiming for a 100% electric offering that will rely, in part, on hydrogen. The German group, which has sold some 600 e-buses out of a total of 18 700 units in 2021, only wants rechargeable […]
April 27, 2022
The number of people traveling, especially by train, will reach a ceiling in Belgium in the coming years due to the widespread use of teleworking and the aging of the population. Specifically for commuter traffic, the train would even lose 20% of passenger kilometers by 2040. But on the other hand, the Belgian Federal Planning […]
April 27, 2022
London’s typical ‘black cabs’ are crossing the Channel to Belgium in white and blue livery and as a battery-electric van with a range extender. The first two LEVC VN5 vans were delivered to logistics company Hazgo, a specialist in transporting medical samples, headquartered at BruCargo in Brussels. LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) has been making […]
April 25, 2022
Since the start of the kilometer charge for trucks in 2016, nearly 64 million euros in Flemish fines have been issued. However, almost 21 million euros of that budget has yet to be received. The information came to light upon request from Flemish parliamentary group chairman Peter Van Rompuy (CD&V), who interjected Flemish Finance Minister […]
April 20, 2022
Belgian logistics player BD Logistics has asked Antwerp University to develop a tool to calculate the CO2 emissions of its urban delivery activities using a standardized calculation method. The calculation tool perfectly estimates the carbon impact of a specific delivery or shipment. This technology would also allow consumers to compare different players or means of […]
April 19, 2022
Young start-up E-Load has inaugurated its first powerful public charging station in the industrial zone ‘Europark’ in Houthalen. The Limburg-based company plans to install at least five similar charging stations in the province and is already negotiating with the cities of Genk and Hasselt. The official inauguration took place on Saturday in the presence of […]
April 15, 2022
In Flanders and Brussels, the rates for the kilometer charge for trucks will be increased on 1 July. It is an index adjustment. In Wallonia, the tariffs for the toll were indexed on 1 January. Viapass, the public body that coordinates and monitors the kilometer charge in Belgium, also reports that no paying toll roads […]
April 11, 2022
Belgian oil tanker giant Euronav and its Norwegian peer, Frontline, want to merge into what’s to become the world’s biggest oil tanker company. The new fleet will consist of 115 tankers, 69 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), 57 Suezmax tankers, and 20 smaller Aframax ships. But after the news of negotiations starting broke last week, […]
April 07, 2022
Two French industrial companies aim to replace all freight diesel locomotives on the non-electrified parts of the French rail network. Train manufacturer, Alstom, is set to develop a heavy-load fuel-cell locomotive, while energy provider Engie will produce and supply emission-free hydrogen from renewable energies. The new train’s first runs are scheduled for 2025. “Our ambition […]
March 30, 2022
A new study in six major European markets by Transport and Environment (T&E) shows that today’s electric vans are, on average, 25% cheaper per km to operate than diesel vans. That is €0,15/km for the e-van versus €0,20/km for the diesel van. In another study published simultaneously, most fleet owners show to be prepared to […]
March 29, 2022
On Monday, Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) has officially inaugurated the first electrified freight railway connection between Genk Goods (Genk Goederen) and Bilzen (Limburg). According to rail manager Infrabel, the electrified connection is essential for freight transport along the strategic railway to Antwerp and the German border. Price tag? 20 […]
March 29, 2022
Supported by new research, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) calls on all EU member states to urgently step-up investments in infrastructure for electrically chargeable cars, vans, trucks, and buses. “The auto industry is already placing hundreds of models of low- and zero-emission vehicles on the market, but has serious concerns about the slow deployment […]
March 23, 2022
In Saint-Gilles, cargo bikes have replaced the trams in the former Belgrade workshop of the public transport company MIVB/STIB. The Brussels-based cyclo-logistics cooperative Urbike has taken up residence there, the result of a call for projects before the building is completely renovated. Urbike is one of the reference companies in delivering goods by cargo bicycle. […]
March 22, 2022
Last week, Norwegian-Swedish, shipping and car handling company Wallenius Wilhelmsen, has received the first shipment of 3 000 Polestar EVs at its new expanded marine terminal, Bastenaken West, at the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium. The company accelerated the planned 50-hectare expansion project of the marine terminal to cope with the increasing demand for EVs […]
March 18, 2022
Trucks that draw their electricity from overhead wires on the highway are a way to make road freight transport independent of fossil fuels. Interim results of a study by the Flemish Institute for Logistics (VIL) show that trucks under electric catenary are a “feasible and profitable climate solution”. Every euro invested in this climate solution […]
March 15, 2022
According to the statistics of the European manufacturers’ organization, ACEA, almost one-third (31,2%) of the newly registered buses in the EU are already powered by alternative fuels. The other two-thirds are still diesel-powered. Overall in 2021, 68,8% of all new buses registered in the European Union ran on diesel. However, electrically-chargeable buses posted strong growth, […]
March 08, 2022
The Italian manufacturer of LCVs and trucks Iveco is joining forces with Hyundai to cope with the development of green drivelines and the transition towards electrification and digitalization. Both manufacturers have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) or a preliminary agreement for cooperation. According to both companies, areas of mutual interest are electric powertrains, architectures […]
March 02, 2022
The car carrier Felicity Ace, catching fire nearly two week ago passing by the Azores with some 4 000 vehicles aboard, has sunk on Tuesday to a depth of more than 3.000 meters on the ocean floor. Several EVs on board kept on burning for days, but apparently, the massive smoke was no longer seen. […]
March 01, 2022
Daimler Trucks has delivered its first seral-produced eActros trucks to clients in Germany. DB Schenker, a division of German rail operator Deutsche Bahn that focuses on logistics, got the first one in Leipzig. Logistics service provider Dachser in Stuttgart also got the keys to an eActros 300. Both were part of the initial test program. […]
February 22, 2022
Six days after a fire broke out on car carrier Felicity Ace, some 90 nautical miles SSW of the Azores, the abandoned ship is still burning. Apparently, the electric vehicles (EVs) onboard – all from the Volkswagen Group – keep the fire raging. It’s not clear yet whether an EV caused the fire initially. The […]
February 21, 2022
In 2021, Flanders registered 291 traffic fatalities, 45 (18%) more than in 2020. The figures come from traffic safety Intitue Vias’ most recent traffic safety barometer, developed in cooperation with the Federal Police. Vias earlier warned that Flanders had the highest number of traffic fatalities since 2016. Wallonia and Brussels, on the contrary, registered the […]
February 15, 2022
Ahead of the Superbowl, AB InBev’s daughter Anheuser-Busch has set up a showcase of delivering its first-ever zero-carb Bud beer to pubs and restaurants in Los Angeles with a zero-emission Nikola Tre fuel cell semi and BYD electric trucks. The Nikola truck powered by hydrogen picked up a load of beer from the Van Nuys’ […]
February 15, 2022
France is willing to subsidize the purchase of an electric or hydrogen truck, bus, or coach up to 65% of the difference with its diesel sibling. For trucks, up to 26 tons, and buses, this can be as high as 100 000 euros, heavy-weight e-trucks even 150.000. It also applies to converting ICE vehicles to […]
February 09, 2022
Last year, the Brussels police checked more than 33 million motorists on driving speed, and 68 568 of them were caught speeding. That is 17% more than in 2020, but the number of checks was 21% higher too. More than 30 million of all speed checks were registered by the automatic flash cameras on the […]
February 04, 2022
Last year, Belgians rediscovered their way to the driver’s seat. Data by Car-Pass, the organization that manages the central register with the mileage of the Belgian car fleet, shows that an average passenger car covered 15 384 kilometers last year. That’s 11 percent more than in 2020. Of all car brands, Tesla drivers put most […]
February 03, 2022
The transport sector in Belgium is booming. According to professional association UPTR (Union Professionnelle du TRansport et de la Logistique), Belgium has more companies in the transport sector than ever. The corona pandemic made e-commerce explode, and the industry is taking advantage of it. In January, the number of active transport companies had increased to […]
January 17, 2022
The kilometer charge for trucks works because the proportion of clean trucks on Belgian roads is steadily increasing, with 80% of the trucks being of the latest Euro 6 standard. The increase is so significant, in fact, that Viapass is proposing making the rules stricter in the future, even for electric trucks. In 2021, revenues […]
January 14, 2022
Flanders is planning to intensify the enforcement of the passing restrictions for truckers when it rains. The Flemish authorities, therefore, want to equip 19 locations with precipitation sensors by the end of this year. They should help the police force to check on infringements. The Flemish traffic regulation stipulates that trucks of 7,5 tons or […]
January 10, 2022
More than one million twenty-foot containers (TEU) have been transported on the Flemish waterways for the first time in a year. That is what De Vlaamse Waterweg, which exploits the navigable waterways in Flanders, has announced. The Albert Canal remains with 705 192 TEU shipped, the most crucial channel in Flanders in this respect. In […]
January 04, 2022
Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo will have its groceries delivered in ten minutes by the flash couriers of Gorillas. For now, the cooperation only concerns the eleven Dutch and the Flemish cities of Antwerp where the deliverers of Gorillas are active. As part of the agreement, Jumbo will deliver a large part of the assortment to […]
January 03, 2022
From 1 January this year, France restricts international freight transport by trucks over 44 tons. More than 40 tons will only be permitted for intermodal transport by French trucks. France has ended all ambiguity surrounding the maximum weight for cross-border transport with the new legislation. The UPTR, the Professional Union of Transport and Logistics in […]
December 24, 2021
According to figures of the European car manufacturers association ACEA, new commercial vehicle registrations across the EU retreated (-14,7%) for the fifth consecutive month in November. The van segment’s double-digit drop weighed heavily on the overall result, as vans accounted for over 80% of total commercial vehicle sales in the European Union. The region’s four […]
December 22, 2021
The Flemish Road Safety Foundation starts a campaign for truck drivers and transport companies to raise their awareness to wear their seatbelts better and more often because research shows that there is still room for improvement. A survey by the Flemish Traffic Research Foundation (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV) among truck drivers in Flanders has shown […]
December 21, 2021
American electric truckmaker Nikola has finally delivered its first two battery-electric Tre trucks in the US in a pilot project with Southern California trucking company Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI) at the Los Angeles harbor. Two FCEV trucks for the project are to follow later. Nikola’s Tre truck is basically a European-built Iveco. This is […]
December 16, 2021
After nine months of formation and debate, the new to form Dutch government (still to be accepted in the Parliament) has presented its major guidelines. One of them is the introduction of a kind of road pricing, taxing the use of the car, not its possession. The system is to be fully operational in… 2030. […]
December 15, 2021
The EU Commission has presented a four-pillar Action Plan for a cleaner, greener, and smarter mobility on the cross-border transport network through Europe and its nine major corridors. That means shifting more passengers and freight to rail and inland waterways, the roll-out of charging points every 60 km along highways, hydrogen filling stations at 150 […]
December 08, 2021
The inland container barge FPS Maas is the first of the fleet to start sailing between Rotterdam and Antwerp on hydrogen-powered fuel cells. Dutch shipping company Future Proof Sailing just signed a long-term agreement with AirLiquide to supply green hydrogen in specially designed multi-modal hydrogen storage containers on deck. As a zero-emission vessel owner, FPS […]
December 02, 2021
The European car manufacturers association ACEA has issued a warning about the charging infrastructure and hydrogen distribution in Europe in the future. In addition, Belgian car sector representative Mobia worries about the amount of electricity needed. ACEA is worried about AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation), the key piece of legislation proposed by the EU Commission […]
November 30, 2021
An ICCT study (International Council on Clean Transportation) on the total cost of ownership (TCO) of long-distance tractor-trailers in seven EU countries shows that battery-electric trucks (BET) can achieve TCO parity with diesel tractor-trailers during this decade. The research covered seven European countries, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, which […]
November 10, 2021
Daimler Truck and French oil giant TotalEnergies have signed an agreement to jointly kick start the rollout of hydrogen infrastructure and heavy-duty trucks in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, and France. Daimler wants its hydrogen trucks deployed fully on the road at customers by 2025, and TotalEnergies has the ambition by 2030 to operate directly […]
November 08, 2021
Thursday night, the Flemish government has finally reached an agreement on its updated climate plan. The general aim is to reduce CO2 emissions by 40% in 2030. The major contribution of the car sector will be the obligation to go electric for 2029 in new car sales. As an update, we added some more reactions. […]
