Author: Patrick Doyle

Dutch truck maker DAF Trucks has delivered 33 battery-electric tractor units to German logistics operator Contargo, lifting the number of electric trucks in Contargo’s fleet to 90 as the company steps up the electrification of its container transport operations. The vehicles, all from the XD Electric series, will be deployed across 15 locations in Germany and are expected to make up nearly one-third of Contargo’s battery-electric fleet once fully integrated. DAF described the handover as “one of the largest simultaneous deliveries of battery-electric trucks in Germany,” with the trucks entering service over the coming weeks. See also: Royal Mail Begins…

panish bus maker Irizar will deliver its first electric vehicles to the Netherlands after securing an order from Arriva Personenvervoer Nederland for 39 battery-electric buses, the companies said. The order comprises 18 standard 12-metre units and 21 articulated 18-metre units of Irizar’s ie tram model. The vehicles are scheduled for delivery in December 2026 and will be deployed in the Oost-Brabant region, operating primarily on a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor serving Tilburg and ’s-Hertogenbosch. Irizar said the contract marks its entry into the Dutch market for electric buses. “We would like to thank Arriva for putting their trust in…

Scania said its L-series low-entry cab has received a five-star safety rating, the highest possible score, under the Safer Trucks programme run by Euro NCAP, following independent consumer testing. The vehicle assessed was an electric version of the L-cab configured for the utility segment, which includes refuse collectors and other essential service trucks operating primarily in urban environments. The rating highlights the cab’s strong performance in direct vision and both active and passive safety measures. Designed for demanding city and vocational use, the L-cab features a low-entry layout aimed at improving driver visibility and reducing risks to vulnerable road users.…

The British government has allocated an additional £18 million ($22.9 million) to support the adoption of electric lorries, increasing purchase incentives for freight forwarders and fleet operators as part of a broader push to decarbonise road transport. The funding, announced by the UK government and administered through the Plug-in Van and Truck Grant, raises maximum subsidies sharply depending on vehicle weight. Electric lorries weighing more than 26 tonnes can now qualify for grants of up to £120,000, while smaller electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are eligible for support ranging from £20,000 to £80,000. The new funding extends the scheme until…

Kiira Motors has completed a high-profile trans-African tour using a battery-electric coach, covering more than 13,000 kilometres across six countries in a bid to demonstrate the feasibility of electric public transport on the continent. The 39-day journey, known as the Made in Uganda Grand Trans-Africa Electric Expedition, took the electric bus from Uganda to Cape Town and back. The expedition used the Kayoola Electric Coach 13M, an intercity battery-electric bus developed by Kiira Motors and designed to address growing demand for cleaner and more efficient public transport solutions in Africa. While the company sources many of its key components from…

Canadian miner Eldorado Gold has placed an order worth about SEK 160 million ($17 million) for additional battery-electric mining equipment from Sandvik, as it moves to further reduce emissions at its underground operations. The order, placed late last year, covers ten electric mining assets and follows Eldorado Gold’s initial purchase of two battery-electric haul trucks from Sandvik in 2024. The expanded order brings the miner’s planned electric fleet to a total of 12 units, reflecting satisfaction with the performance of the earlier deliveries, Sandvik said. See also: EIB Provides €500 Million Loan to Support Sandvik’s Next-Generation Electric Equipment Development “Sandvik…

Swiss public transport operator Bus Ostschweiz has placed 14 new battery-electric buses into regular service across several regions in eastern Switzerland following a timetable change on Dec. 14, marking a further step toward its goal of fully electrifying its fleet by 2036. The rollout introduces battery-electric buses for the first time in the Oberthurgau and Sargans–Werdenberg regions. Five of the new vehicles have been allocated to the Sargans depot, where they will operate on multiple routes, including rail replacement services for Rhaetian Railway. On evening services between Chur and Landquart, electric buses are being deployed on a targeted basis, the…

The Skoda Group has secured two public tenders to supply a total of 75 new trolleybuses to Sofia, expanding its presence in the Bulgarian capital’s public transport fleet. The contracts comprise 35 standard 12-metre trolleybuses and 40 articulated 18-metre vehicles, with a combined value of €56.19 million, Skoda said. The win follows an earlier order in 2021, when the Czech manufacturer delivered 30 low-floor trolleybuses to Sofia under a deal worth around €20 million. Under the first contract, Skoda will deliver 35 units of its 12-metre Skoda 32Tr low-floor trolleybus. The model has a passenger capacity of up to 95…

Kia’s PV5 electric van has secured a series of international awards for safety, design and efficiency during its first year on the market, underlining the company’s ambitions in the electric light commercial vehicle segment. The PV5, Kia’s first dedicated all-electric Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV), was named 2026 International Van of the Year, becoming the first Korean and Asian electric vehicle to receive the title. The award was decided unanimously by a jury of 26 commercial vehicle journalists, who cited the model’s modular architecture and real-world efficiency. See also: Kia PV5 Electric Van Wins 2026 International Van of the Year Award…

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) have both halted the use of electric vans supplied by the now-bankrupt EV startup Canoo. The decisions mark the abandonment of two high-profile government vehicle programs that Canoo had secured prior to its financial collapse. NASA, which purchased three Canoo EVs in 2023 for transporting astronauts to the launchpad for its Artemis lunar missions, informed media that Canoo “was no longer able to meet our mission requirements.” As of October, the space agency confirmed it is leasing the Airstream-built “Astrovan” from Boeing for its crewed…

MAN Truck & Bus has delivered the first two units of its long-haul electric truck, the eTGX, to the Italian transport company Koinè. The battery-electric vehicles will be immediately integrated into the logistics operations of the beverage manufacturer Sanpellegrino, a brand owned by Nestlé Waters. The delivery marks the beginning of a multi-year fleet transition plan, under which Koinè, one of Europe’s largest logistics providers operating nearly 1,000 vehicles, intends to acquire up to 50 eTGX units from MAN. See also: MAN Truck & Bus Launches Battery Production at Nuremberg Plant, Plans €150 Million Expansion Koinè, based between Bergamo and…

DSV, the global transport and logistics company, has deployed its first 8-ton electric truck in South Africa, in partnership with Volvo Trucks. The vehicle is the first of three scheduled to join the company’s Air & Sea fleet following successful operational trials, significantly boosting DSV’s local electrification drive. The deployment builds upon earlier steps taken three years ago, which included the introduction of a 4-ton electric truck and an electric van. With the addition of the new Volvo 8-ton trucks, 15 per cent of DSV’s current fleet in South Africa will now be fully electric. See also: DSV Introduces Volvo…