The companies believe that adopting stricter emission standards for trucks will force manufacturers to increase production of zero-emission trucks and therefore bring down the price of these heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs).

Under the agreement, charging stations for Commercial Vehicles (CVs) will be placed every 120km along the main highways of European Union member state countries by 2028, whilst hydrogen refuelling stations will be installed at least every 200km by 2031.

Van Hool will supply 54 units of the ‘A15LE E’ line of buses which are powered by two ZF ‘Axtrax’ wheel hub motors (2 x 140kW) and Akasol batteries providing up to 686 kWh energy capacity.

Refrigerated Trailer Rentals Holland BV of Barendrecht fitted the engineless ‘Advancer-e’ to a trailer which it has now leased to Dailycool, a transporter of groceries.

The Commission proposes a mandatory 45% emissions reduction from 2030 (compared with 2019), a 65% emission reduction from 2035 and a 90% emissions reduction on all heavy-duty vehicles from 2040.

The order for 97 7900 S-Charge hybrid electric buses was secured through a public tender as part of a wider framework agreement between the two companies.

Developed in Turin, the 69 kWh NMC (Lithium-Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt-Oxide) modular battery packs have been specially designed for LCVs, minibuses and buses.

The company announced the order for 500 articulated E-WAY electric city buses to Flemish government-owned public transport operator De Lijn, over the next six years, with the first 65 to be dispatched by Q1 2024.

ACEA is now lobbying for an interim review of the proposed Euro VII emissions standards and will publish a revised proposal to these regulations early this year.

On the top of his agenda will be revising the proposed Euro VII emissions regulation, criticised for slowing down the transition to climate neutrality.

Luca de Meo, CEO of Groupe Renault, will serve as ACEA President in 2023, replacing outgoing BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG) CEO, Oliver Zipse who has held the position for the last two years.

The ACEA published a position paper which reviews the current European Council directive on the maximum weights and dimensions of heavy-duty vehicles and provides recommendations for changes which it believes would be more accommodating to zero-emission vehicles.