The NextETRUCK Mid-Term Conference, which took place on 21 February 2024 in Brussels and was attended by more than 40 stakeholders, highlighted the importance of cooperation between cities, projects, OEMs and the road freight industry.
The full-day hybrid event was divided into three core segments, including NextETRUCK updates, a roundtable discussion concerning the challenges for cities, as well as presentations and a conversation on the future of zero-emission freight with several AEVETO-cluster projects. The following paragraphs are summarising several aspects of the discussion. If you would like to receive a more detailed overview, please study all available presentations at the end of this article.
Spotlight on AEVETO Cluster projects
NextETRUCK and several other EU-funded zero-emission freight projects have formed a cluster to promote exchange between partners, align communication and find synergies – the so-called ‘AEVETO Cluster’. Since NextETRUCK strongly supports these efforts, a forum was given to the AEVETO projects of H2Haul, ESCALATE and EMPOWER. After a brief project presentation, a discussion about the future of zero-emission freight and potential obstacles on the road towards HDV deployment took place, moderated by cluster coordinator Omar Hegazy (VUB).
Whereas NextETRUCK tests electric HDVs in (peri-)urban areas, ESCALATE tests hybrid (hydrogen- & electrically propelled) long-haul vehicles, which operate on several (cross-border) routes in the EU and beyond. The EMPOWER project is a mix between the other two projects, as it tests both types of vehicles, an electric one for regional (under 400km) deliveries and a hybrid truck for long-haul operations. H2Haul on the other hand solely focuses on hydrogen trucks, which are tested in real-world daily operations in four different countries.
Download the presentations
Innovation Presentations
- NextETRUCK Introduction
- Digital Twinning & Virtual Integration
- Prototyping
- Modular & Interoperable IoT System Design
- Charging