2nd IRU-POLIS Webinar: Zero-emission logistics in a (peri-)urban environment

The second webinar in the IRU-POLIS webinar series highlights the aspect of zero-emission logistics in urban environments and will feature NextETRUCK and H2Haul, as two lighthouse EU-funded projects that test zero-emission HDVs in real-world environments. POLIS and IRU invite you to register for this second webinar on 12 March, (15:00-16:30h), by clicking the button below. The third webinar will follow on 16 April 2024 (also from 15:00-16:30h)

Peri-urban environments around city centres are the geographical intersections in which freight is mostly transshipped from long-haul trucks to urban solutions within freight depots or transshipment facilities. If cities have established access regulations or logistic plans that provide rules and guidance to the freight industry, several challenges occur. Firstly, cities need to reduce negative externalities from freight vehicles while facilitating access to urban shops and companies. Secondly, local administrations or energy suppliers need to provide sufficient infrastructure to freight depots or charging/refueling stations to facilitate fast charging or hydrogen refueling of zero-emission trucks. Thirdly, OEMs and freight companies need planning security to accelerate zHDV uptake and to develop use cases.

Thus, several questions occur related to the right size of zero-emission trucks to operate in urban- and peri-urban areas. EU-funded projects provide insights into potential use cases for hydrogen- or battery-electric trucks, based on real-world tests. Some of these pilot tests from the H2Haul project, like the fleet of hydrogen vehicles that is operated by the supermarket chain Colruyt in Belgium, can already provide first answers about the potential of hydrogen trucks. Other projects like NextETRUCK are currently in the planning stage for their battery-electric vehicle tests in several European metropolis', including Istanbul, Barcelona and the UK.

Freight operators, OEMs and policy experts that represent the city perspectives will elaborate on the challenges of zero-emission freight and discuss the cooperation potential between the freight industry and cities to achieve the ambitious EU decarbonisaton targets.

Join us to shape the future of battery electric and fuel cell electric HDVs that will enable the sustainable delivery of goods in all environments, from long-haul to last mile!

Draft Agenda:

Welcome words.
Introduction to the challenges of electrification of HDV freight in (peri-)urban environments (NextETRUCK)
Real world prototyping of hydrogen trucks (H2Haul)
Round table discussion about logistics in a peri-urban environment