FROM Management 90

“Power to the people”, was the well-known political slogan of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s. “Power to the light commercial vehicles” is the slogan I would like to give to the IAA trade fair in Hannover today. Every year, we eagerly await the latest innovations on the market. And what caught our attention this year? The range of electric vehicles has never been so extensive. With the presentation of the 'Volkswagen e-Crafter' and the 'Mercedes Vision Van', two new major players are entering the market that want to promote alternative drives. The big slogan of this IAA edition was therefore 'Driven by ideas', which clearly points to the electric interests of the manufacturers themselves. This overarching theme paid extra attention to new network solutions (read: 'What if a VAN becomes a computer'), automation and alternative drives. The question is and remains: are we ready for such a revolution? Although Belgium has invested heavily in installing public charging stations in recent years, we are still years behind our northern neighbors. And I am not even talking about the (almost) completely emission-free countries such as Norway. Because after 2025, no more cars, vans and trucks will be imported here. Electric vehicles are already being stimulated there today with tax benefits, making the Netherlands and Norway absolute leaders in the purchase of electric vehicles. The “power” is therefore still largely in the hands of the “people” (and their money).