TRUCK & BUSINESS 280

A few days before the outbreak of the reprehensible Russian invasion of Ukraine (in tempore non suspecto, that is), I used the expression 'bring out the bazooka' to describe the French support plan for the deployment of electric trucks. Little did I know that the expression would take a much more literal turn in Kiev. Since then, the images of citizens resisting Russian tanks with their bare hands have gone around the world and, all things considered, I have the impression that the Belgian haulier will soon be just as helpless in the face of foreign competition. Let me explain…

“By 2025, Belgian transporters risk losing all their tenders.”

Our three big neighbours have approved huge support plans for the purchase of electric commercial vehicles. Germany has gone even further by anticipating a trend that we will not be able to ignore: by taxing fuel by 8 cents per litre more, it is already in line with the emission quotas that will sooner or later be imposed on road transport. In Belgium, almost nothing is happening… The result speaks for itself: in 2021, barely four electric trucks were registered.

The same applies to light commercial vehicles, where the share of electric vehicles is barely 1%, compared to 4.65% in the Netherlands.

In the very short term, this is not a cause for concern. In the long term, the consequences could be catastrophic, for two reasons.

The first is related to experience. The eco-combis are exemplary in this respect: our northern neighbours now have so much experience with 25.25 metre road combinations that the Belgians feel obliged to adopt protectionism in order not to lose markets. The same danger threatens with electric propulsion (and in the future with hydrogen).

But it could be worse. If, for example, in 2025 (tomorrow morning, that is) a large shipper has to compare the offers of different European carriers and the Belgian, at more or less comparable prices, is the only one who does not drive without CO2 emissions, what do you think will happen? Belgian transport is in danger of being wiped off the map of Europe. Federal and regional passivity therefore leads to the

Belgian carrier being allowed to go into battle with his bare hands against a heavily equipped army.

And there will not be many cases in which the opposing camp will turn around…