by Walther Ploos van Amstel
A new McKinsey report by Matthias Kässer, Tobias Schneiderbauer and Henrik Becker delivers a sobering reality check for anyone tracking freight decarbonization in Europe: despite nine years of model launches and more than 45 zero-emission (ZE) truck models now on the market, new registrations of ZE trucks remained below 5 percent as of 2025. That’s …
A new study in Case Studies on Transport Policy by Annette Rondaij, Bram Kin, Hans Quak, and colleagues (LiLS partners: Dutch TNO, HAN, and BUAS) offers a timely corrective to the electrification-first narrative that dominates urban freight policy. While battery electric vehicles remain the default answer to decarbonizing city logistics, the authors argue that measures …
The Dutch Jaarbeurs has won a legal case against the Municipality of Utrecht (NL) concerning the establishment of a zero-emission zone. The area surrounding the event complex is no longer subject to the stringent emission standards applicable to freight traffic. Utrecht introduced a zero-emission zone for delivery vehicles and trucks one year ago. The Jaarbeurs …
As cities introduce zero-emission zones, urban logistics is undergoing a fundamental transformation. This study examines how light electric freight vehicles (LEFVs) are being integrated into last-mile delivery in the Netherlands and how this transition reshapes logistics operations, urban infrastructure, and governance. Rather than focusing solely on vehicle technology, the paper highlights the organisational and spatial …
In Norway, sustainable logistics is shaped by two different and often conflicting narratives—those of public authorities and businesses. While both reference sustainability, they focus on various aspects of it. Public narratives show awareness of the three “grand narratives” of sustainable logistics: decarbonization, collective logistics, and the low-mobility society. However, public authorities mostly adopt a passive …
A University of Southampton study found microscopic particles from specific brake pads can be more toxic than diesel exhaust. Researchers linked high copper content in some pads to increased lung toxicity. While vehicle pollution has been mainly associated with exhaust emissions, brake, tire, and road wear now contribute the majority of particulate matter emissions in …
Vans are the pillar of urban logistics. In the UK, they account for 89% of urban road traffic from commercial vehicles (2023). However, they are predominantly fuelled by diesel. They are responsible for 14% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from inner city traffic in European cities and 12% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road transportation in the European Union and …
It was impressive to see all the cargo bikes and light electric vehicles gathered in the garage beneath the Passenger Terminal in Amsterdam. Various providers of zero-emission vehicles came together for a ‘Meet & Match‘ event, connecting with potential users—entrepreneurs from construction, installation technology, and other facility and technical service industries. This event is a …
According to the latest report from ICCT, the market for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2024 despite an overall decline of 9% in HDV sales compared to the same period in 2023. The share of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) increased across all three segments (heavy trucks, light and medium …
The UK government invests £200 million to drive innovation and get more zero-emission trucks on the roads. More zero-emission trucks are set to drive on UK roads thanks to a £200 million boost to decarbonize freight vehicles, drive innovation, and create new jobs as part of a week of government action to support the sector. With heavy …