TRUCK & BUSINESS 281

From the files submitted by the candidates for the Transport & Logistics Awards and from the results of our Truck & Business Barometer, it is clear that Belgian hauliers have turned the corner and are embarking on the path to decarbonisation. In other words, it is the ideal moment to emphasise the importance of the special in this Truck & Business. This special was given the name 'green, greener, greenest'.

There is also some progress to report in the area of ​​subsidies. After the fiscal measures of the federal government, Flanders is now awarding ecological premiums in line with the new reality around electric trucks and hydrogen trucks. If the Walloon and Brussels governments were to follow suit, we would finally be able to take steps in this country.

On the following pages you will discover that the announcements of new zero-emission trucks are following each other at a rapid pace and that Europe is busy providing the necessary charging infrastructure and hydrogen stations to finally put an end to the 'chicken or the egg' discussion. From 2025 onwards, it should gradually be possible to cross Europe with peace of mind and without emissions. The timeline within which this must happen is not yet perfectly aligned, but it is definitely going in the right direction.

“All drives will continue to play their role… even the combustion engine.”

For companies, it is not easy to choose the right technology. The past three years have been almost exclusively about electric drives, but it looks like hydrogen is winning the battle, while the combustion engine will not disappear into the background any time soon. Excesses that some car manufacturers seem to be guilty of are in any case out of the question. Suddenly they seem holier than the Pope, while they (most of them) still have butter on their heads (emission scandals, cartel formation, etc.). Car manufacturers only communicate about their electric models, but forget that a car must also (and above all?) meet the expectations of the user.

Be careful! Anyone who wants to wash too 'green' risks damaging the fabric... For truck manufacturers, this is a lesson to keep in mind.