Europe Watch

Europe:

Research by SNAP shows that eHGVs can become cheaper to own than diesel vehicles after just four years, as an initial higher purchase cost is made up by a lower overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

Modelling the five-year TCO for diesel and HGVs drawing on country-level data and economic assumptions, the researchers were able to determine that the estimated TCO for eHGVs is £37,176 per year on average compared with £94,416 diesel; a difference of £57,241 (or 61% less).

Countries that topped the list of the greatest savings on eHGVs were Iceland (€480,228); Switzerland (€297,673); and the Netherlands (€186,074).

France:

Electreon announced a world first with the launch of a wireless highway that charges vehicles in motion.

The project, which is led by VINCI Autoroutes working in partnership with Electreon, VINCI Construction, Gustave Eiffel University and Hutchinson, developed and tested a 1.5km stretch of highway along the A10 near Paris.

Extensive tests were carried out on mechanical, thermal and power transfer performance, confirming power transfer above 200kW and peaks over 300kW, which is twice the power required by a heavy-duty truck to drive that distance.

Passenger vehicles, vans, buses and medium- and heavy-duty trucks can all charge simultaneously using the highway.

Spain:

A partnership between an energy consultancy firm, Ricardo, and the Port of Huelva will oversee the identification and promotion of green shipping corridors.

As one of Spain’s busiest ports, Ricardo will identify at least five green shipping corridors into the port, alongside improvements to port operations and infrastructure, recommendations for low carbon logistics, and advice on regulations.

Businesses across the maritime value chain will be involved, including industrial fuel producers, terminal operators, fuel suppliers, utilities and commercial shipping companies.

Europe:

70 projects have been picked to decarbonise transport across Europe, by installing the necessary infrastructure for charging or refuelling vehicles, vessels, and aeroplanes.

These projects will receive over €600 million in funding from the EU’s ‘Connecting Europe Facility’ which will be put towards electrifying and decarbonising ports, airports, and sections of road in the trans-European transport network (TEN-T).

16 European airports will electrify their ground handling services in a key contribution towards reducing carbon emissions.