June 04, 2024
Airlines expect to carry almost five billion passengers worldwide this year, a new record, according to figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This would smash the record set in 2019 before the coronavirus crisis. Airlines also expect to fly 30.5 billion dollars in profits this year, on revenues of 996 billion dollars. Previous […]
June 03, 2024
Volvo is expanding its range of emission-free construction machines with a battery-powered excavator and a set of wheel loaders. To keep them operational in remote areas, the company is introducing a mobile energy storage system for grid-independent recharging. At the showcase event, Volvo Days in Eskilstuna, Sweden, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) introduced an array […]
May 30, 2024
Rail freight company Lineas is getting a new 46 million euro bailout. It is striking that the regional governments in Flanders and Wallonia are now also going to help save the company, reports the business newspaper De Tijd. Earlier, the federal government supported Lineas financially twice. The company, the largest private rail freight operator in […]
May 30, 2024
Toyota’s APM, or ‘Accessible People Mover,’ is an electric vehicle designed to transport persons or goods and can also be used as an emergency vehicle. It was developed in Toyota’s R&D center in Zaventem, Belgium, and will be produced at Toyota Caetano in Portugal. For years already, Toyota has been the worldwide mobility partner of […]
May 24, 2024
BYD has presented a new electric double-decker bus, first for the British market. The BD11 features a next-generation chassis but is also powered by BYD’s blade battery. With this move, BYD is leveraging synergies between its automotive and bus businesses. BYD presented the BD11 in London, where it is also expected to find its highest […]
May 23, 2024
Volvo Trucks wants to give combustion engines another chance at existence beyond the next decade by introducing hydrogen combustion-powered trucks. The first road tests with this technology will begin in 2026, and commercialization is planned by the decade’s end. Hydrogen combustion is considered a carbon-neutral way to keep combustion engines alive without the massive costs […]
May 22, 2024
Honda has unveiled its Class 8 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck Concept at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Las Vegas. The concept truck is based on a Peterbilt chassis and offers up to 400 miles (644 km) of range, but Honda has no plans to produce the truck by itself. Along with Toyota and […]
May 22, 2024
Belgium will probably not achieve the agreed European environmental targets for CO2 emissions and green energy, although there are differences per sector. The transport sector, in particular, is finding it difficult to transition away from fossil fuels. These are the conclusions of research by the Federal Planning Bureau. The European Commission imposes targets for 2030 […]
May 22, 2024
Japanese truck manufacturer Hino Trucks (Toyota) and Norwegian zero-emission powertrain and storage specialist Hexagon Purus have joined forces to create Tern, a new zero-emission truck brand aimed at the US market. Their first RC8 model was unveiled at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Las Vegas. The Tern RC8 is a short-haul battery-electric truck that […]
May 21, 2024
Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, the parent company of Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks, have signed a preliminary agreement to form a joint venture to develop a software-defined vehicle platform in the heavy-duty sector. The new company hopes to get started in 2025. The software-defined vehicle (SDV) is a term also used by Hyundai, Renault, […]
May 14, 2024
By 2030, trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles in Europe must reduce their CO2 emissions by 45% from 2019 levels. That threshold will then be raised to 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040 – the average lifespan of a truck is 18 years, that’s why. The European Parliament had previously approved these new emission standards, […]
May 10, 2024
Amazon says it is investing in electric vehicles worldwide and is now rolling out nearly 50 heavy-duty electric trucks from Volvo in Southern California. They will share the Californian roads with 13,500 custom-built Rivian electric vans, a fleet that should be expanded to 100,000 vans by 2030. The fully electric trucks will haul cargo containers […]
May 07, 2024
This summer, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is taking its electric long-hauler eActros 600 on the manufacturer’s longest test run yet. The battery-electric truck will travel over 13,000 km through more than 20 European countries to gather real-world data and to send a message that electric long-haul transport is possible today. As Mercedes-Benz Trucks gears up for series […]
May 07, 2024
A new plot twist in the saga surrounding bus builder Van Hool’s bankruptcy might jeopardize Australian GRW’s final take-over of the trailer division. CIM Capital, a Belgian investment company specializing in the take-over of ailing firms and one of the bidders, entered an official protest against the curators’ decision, which it calls ‘unfair.’ A judge […]
April 29, 2024
Danish shipping and logistics company DFDS, one of Northern Europe’s largest shipping companies, is to deploy a fleet of battery electric vessels on the English Channel. The company reports this in a press release, after meeting with UK Minister for Investment and Regulatory Reform, Lord Dominic Johnson. DFDS’s long-term goal is to have up to […]
April 25, 2024
After more than two weeks of inactivity, Van Hool’s industrial trailer division is said to be ready for a restart in phases as a split-off, starting on Monday under the new South African owner, GRW. The South African company, owned 39,05% by German Schmitz Cargobull, will make Koninghooikt in Belgium its fourth industrial site after […]
April 23, 2024
During testing at its development center in Wörth am Thein, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has achieved a charging speed of 1,000 kilowatts (kW) or 1 megawatt (MW) with the new eActros 600, which launches later this year. This means Mercedes one-ups MAN, which reached a charging speed of 700 kW, albeit at a public charging station in […]
April 12, 2024
The European Parliament has approved stricter CO2 standards for buses and trucks. This includes the requirement that all new buses should be emission-free by 2035 and almost all new trucks by 2040. The European Council still must give the green light, but this is considered a formality. A complete ban on combustion engines for lorries […]
April 10, 2024
Western European ports, particularly Zeebrugge and Antwerp, face unprecedented challenges as they morph into vast car storage facilities. The influx of vehicles, especially from Asia and America, has outpaced the outflow, leading to significant congestion. The bottleneck has several automakers scouting for inland parking lots to keep up with the pace of factory output. The large […]
April 02, 2024
Windrose Tech, the Chinese manufacturer of EV trucks, is considering coming to Antwerp to install its European headquarters, an R&D center, and an assembly plant. That’s what founder Han Wen declared in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde. Windrose’s full electric trucks are supposed to have a range of some 600 km and […]
April 02, 2024
Belgian bus builder Van Hool, being on the inevitable edge of bankruptcy and running out of money at the end of March, is taking another week ‘to work on a quick relaunch’ within the boundaries of the juridical procedures, the company’s management told the workers council on Tuesday morning. Normally, the official bankruptcy was expected […]
April 01, 2024
At North Sea Port Gent, railway operator Lineas presented its new FAME locomotive, which runs on used cooking oil. The FAME locomotive resembles a classic diesel variant but emits 85% less CO2 on unelectrified tracks. FAME stands for Fatty Acid Methyl Ester, and although waste-based FAME is already used in marine engines and simple combustion […]
March 26, 2024
On Tuesday morning, 2,400 Van Hool employees wanted to start working again in Koningshooikt (Lier) to keep the Belgian bus builder factory going. Still, management sent them home for the next two weeks, awaiting the bankruptcy verdict. They are left with a resigned mood and uncertainty after hearing on Monday that going belly-up is unavoidable, […]
March 25, 2024
The new eTruck range from MAN is compatible with the Megawatt Charging System (MCS), making quick charging stops during mandatory breaks much more helpful. To demonstrate this, an eTruck was equipped with a prototype MCS charger from infrastructure expert ABB, which reached a charging speed of 700 kW. ABB and MAN still consider this a […]
March 21, 2024
Since its peak in 2007, the transport sector has decarbonized three times slower than the rest of the economy, and emissions continue to grow. European transport emissions have increased by over a quarter since 1990, while emissions across the wider economy are declining. A new study by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows that transport alone […]
March 19, 2024
Brussels Airport accounts for 5.41 billion in added value and more than 64,000 jobs. According to a study on the economic impact commissioned by Zaventem Airport, the Universities UAntwerpen and UCLouvain presented these results on Monday. Meanwhile, management and unions at Brussels Airlines also reached an agreement on Monday regarding better pay for cabin crew. […]
March 19, 2024
Renault Trucks closed 2023 with 69,859 trucks delivered, the best result in recent years and an 18% year-on-year growth. The French manufacturer also delivered 1,636 electric trucks, an increase of 153% compared to 2022, giving it a market share of 22.4% in Europe. There are positive figures all around at Renault Trucks, as the 2023 […]
March 18, 2024
The European Parliament voted last week for the revision of the European Weights and Dimensions Directive, which would allow 44-ton combinations to cross the borders of member states more easily. This would increase efficiency and lower emissions per cargo unit, but it might also give diesel trucks a more significant advantage. The door has also […]
March 18, 2024
The clock is ticking for Belgian bus maker Van Hool, which will go bankrupt if no private investor is found before the end of March. Belgian entrepreneur Guido Dumarey confirmed in an interview with Radio 1 that he’s convinced he can ‘rebuild’ Van Hool to a profitable, streamlined production company with 1,800 of the current […]
March 11, 2024
In stormy weather since the Covid-19 pandemic and the following crisis, Belgian bus and coach builder Van Hool production workers face the ultimate doom scenario. On Monday’s ultimate works council, the unions got the grim message that 1,116 of currently 2,494 jobs at the company’s main factory in Koningshooikt (Lier) will disappear by 2028, 834 […]
March 07, 2024
E-truck start-up Volta Trucks has signed a preliminary agreement with Austrian production specialist Steyr Automotive to continue producing its trucks. The Swedish start-up filed for bankruptcy in October last year but was bought out by Luxor Capital Group, one of its creditors, in December. It seems that the Volta Trucks story will continue after all. […]
March 07, 2024
Ford has updated the full-size E-Transit in the US, boosting the range by 26 to 32 percent thanks to a new 89 kWh battery. The electric van also gets 49 percent faster charging while the price only increases slightly for the American market. A European launch has not yet been announced. The 2022 E-Transit was […]
March 06, 2024
Colruyt Group has started using a 44-ton electric truck to supply city stores as sustainably as possible. The truck is quieter and generates fewer emissions, making deliveries less inconvenient for residents. Flemish Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) officially inaugurated the refrigerated e-truck. “Using electric trucks for city deliveries is no longer a thing of […]
March 05, 2024
The Dutch railway network needs a major overhaul. Over the next six years, rail manager ProRail will step up its game to prepare the Dutch rail network for the next forty years. Travelers must take inconvenience into account for the next six years. Between now and 2030, train passengers and freight rail must, therefore, take […]
March 01, 2024
Beherman Motors has signed an agreement with the Chinese brand Farizon to import and distribute in the Benelux region. The well-known family importer, tied to Mitsubishi, Mazda, Saab, and BMW in the past, taps further into the opportunity of the nascent eLCV market and aims at a share of 5%. Farizon, a subsidiary of the […]
February 29, 2024
Last year, Flanders issued 19 million euros of fines for truck drivers who did not comply with the rules on kilometer tax. That is a record since the system was introduced in 2016. Most of the fines – almost 80 percent – were intended for foreign trucks. The Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, in particular, took […]
February 28, 2024
Like in 2022, Dutch Railways NS made a 191-million-euro loss last year due to increased costs for wages and equipment, but also because the number of expected passengers fell short. NS, therefore, wants to make train tickets considerably more expensive next year, possibly by more than 10%. With that 191-million-euro loss, NS may be doing […]
February 15, 2024
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) latest ‘Vehicles on European Roads’ report, there were 252 million cars on European roads in 2022, a 1% increase from the previous year. But despite battery-electric sales reaching ‘all-time highs’ in 2022, only 1.2% of cars on EU roads are battery-electric. Only six countries had a share […]
February 12, 2024
The European Council confirmed on Friday an agreement with the EU Parliament on a 90% CO2 emission reduction by 2040 for heavy-duty vehicles and a 100% reduction for buses by 2035. It came after a last-minute debate within Germany’s coalition over the proposal, with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), the smallest party in the three-party […]
February 12, 2024
The Walloon government has decided to extend Liège’s tramway network to Seraing (Jemeppe) despite its high price tag. The extension, excluding the actual streetcars running on it, was originally planned to cost 105 million euros. The works would now cost 355 million euros. Three new bids, still to be negotiated, have been submitted for the […]
February 09, 2024
Dutch beer giant Heineken has engaged Swedish Einride, a specialized transport company in electric and remote-controlled trucks, to start delivering daily to its German distribution center in Duisburg from its brewery in Den Bosch, the Netherlands, by electric Mercedes eActros 300 trucks. These trucks will cover some 540 km each daily, driven by a human […]
February 07, 2024
On Wednesday, Nissan introduced its next generation of the Interstar, its largest van for the first time available with a 100% electric powertrain, “without compromising performance”, as the manufacturer claims. An 87 kWh battery should provide a range of 460 kilometers, and it can charge 252 km in just 30 minutes on a DC charger. […]
February 06, 2024
Swedish Volvo Group, the parent company behind Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, and Renault Trucks, has acquired Proterra’s battery plants in the US. Volvo Group paid $210 million (€195 million) before adjustment for inventory level at closing, including a development center for battery modules and packs in California and an assembly factory in Greer, South Carolina. […]
February 05, 2024
Dutch truck manufacturer DAF has closed 2023 with a record production of 69,800 trucks at its Eindhoven and Leyland factories. It has also settled with German train operator Deutsche Bahn over the losses incurred by the truck manufacturers’ price-fixing scandal a decade ago. DAF, part of the Paccar Group, can look back at a successful […]
February 02, 2024
Volvo Trucks has introduced its first electric truck not directly based on a combustion model: the FM Low Entry. Designed for city use, it features a lowered cab moved forward for better visibility and easier ingress and egress. Production starts in the second quarter of 2024. The Volvo FM Low Entry is related to the […]
January 31, 2024
Various sources reveal that Isuzu Motors will invest nearly two billion dollars into electric trucks and batteries. News reached us over an order with LG worth one trillion won. There is also talk of a new EV pickup truck from Thailand. The Korean battery specialist LG Energy Solution will supply Isuzu Motors with cylindrical cells […]
January 30, 2024
New EU van, truck, and bus sales rose again in 2023, with double-digit growth figures in all segments. New van sales surged by +14.6% to nearly 1.5 million units, driven by strong performances in key EU markets. It is the same story for trucks (+16.3%) and 346,986 units sold, and buses with +19.4% growth compared […]
January 26, 2024
Holcim, the Swiss-based construction materials and cement company, has placed a record order for 1 000 battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks. The company wants to have 30% zero-emission trucks by 2030, and it’s not just counting on Daimler Truck to achieve this goal. This isn’t the first time Holcim has signed a letter of intent […]
January 26, 2024
A new direct railway line now connects the ports of Genk and Zeebrugge. On an annual basis, this will take some 12 000 trucks carrying containers off the road. “The rail connection promises significant benefits in terms of mobility and sustainability,” says Heike Ulburghs, General Manager of the Port of Genk. Flanders is making 200 […]
January 25, 2024
After announcing its eTGX and eTGS long-haul electric trucks in November 2023, MAN has announced that the first model year has nearly sold out, with 700 orders placed in the first three months of sales. MAN claims a “daily range” of up to 800 km for its battery-electric models. The first examples of MAN’s long-haul […]
January 25, 2024
“Despite lofty ambitions and strict requirements, most passenger cars on EU roads still emit the same quantity of CO2 as 12 years ago,” the European Court of Auditors (ECA) said in a statement. A top EU auditor reported on Wednesday that sales of electric cars in the European Union are not growing fast enough to […]
January 25, 2024
Candy and pet care company Mars has partnered up with Swedish start-up Einride to electrify its European transport fleet. The first two electric trucks have already been delivered, with 298 more on the way by 2030. Einride wants to make these trucks autonomous, starting with a pilot project in 2025. Mars, known for its candy […]
January 24, 2024
Engineers of the state-owned railway company Deutsche Bahn started a six-day strike last night, the longest strike ever on German railways. The strike comes because of a long-running dispute over working conditions and pay between DB and union GDL. Train traffic in Germany is expected to come to a virtual standstill. It is now the […]
January 24, 2024
Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO of German heavy truck maker MAN Truck & Bus, is no believer when it comes to hydrogen to decarbonize heavy transport. Although MAN develops both to a certain extent, he’s convinced that the limited supply and high cost of green hydrogen make a fuel cell truck unable to compete with battery electric […]
January 18, 2024
With the immediate appointment of Mark Zwaaneveld (62) as co-CEO, Belgian bus and touring car builder Van Hool is getting a shrewd crisis manager in-house to put the company back on track after four years of doom. Zwaaneveld will focus on a restructuring plan, while Filip Van Hool (59), the founding family’s third generation, runs […]
January 17, 2024
The French micro-mobility specialist Ligier will import K-Ryole’s electric transport solutions to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The purpose is to offer even more zero-emission micro-mobility solutions for building and logistics. K-Ryole is a French manufacturer of innovative, electrically supported bike trailers and trolleys, especially suited for last-mile delivery. The bike trailers are mainly used […]
January 12, 2024
Harald Seidel, President of DAF Trucks, takes over from Martin Lundstedt (Volvo Group) as the new chairman of the Commercial Vehicle Board of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) for 2024. He will be in charge of defending the truckmakers’ interests in Europe. The ACEA unites the European vehicle manufacturers, including commercial vehicles. Luca de […]
January 08, 2024
Nikola Motor’s 2023 has been tumultuous, to say the least. But the American zero-emission semi-truck manufacturer has closed out the year with its first hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks being delivered to customers. The outlook for 2024 should follow soon. Nikola’s 2023 year in review was not an easy one. The troubles started (or continued, […]
January 02, 2024
Honda and Isuzu have started on-road testing in Japan of their jointly-developed ‘Giga Fuel Cell’ truck, a 12-meter long, 25-ton truck equipped with four 103 kW fuel cells providing 320 kW (429 hp) of electric power and a range of 800 km with 56 kg hydrogen in its tanks. The potent fuel cell developed by […]
December 26, 2023
The Belgian oil tanker company Euronav, specializing in the transportation and storage of crude oil, is gearing up for a ‘greener’ future with the take-over of CMB.Tech. That Belgian cleantech maritime group builds, owns, operates, and designs large marine and industrial applications running on hydrogen, ammonia, or dual fuels. It’s a significant step to gradually […]
