Autobahn GmbH, TST, EWR, Fraunhofer, Renault Trucks, and much more

A pilot project by the Autobahn GmbH of the German Federal Government and the German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMDV) aims to make oversized and heavy haulage (GST) more efficient and safer. Starting in March, a "digital copilot" will be tested on oversized and heavy haulers to eliminate the necessity for an additional escort. The "digital copilot" functions like a navigation system but with differences. It monitors the route in real-time and provides important information to truck drivers, including regulations, restrictions, and driving instructions. After initial tests in some states, a nationwide trial is set to follow, announced by the Federal Ministry of Transport during the second roundtable on oversized and heavy haulage (GST) on February 19. 

Logistics company TST and utility provider EWR have formed a joint venture named PVSM Energy to build 41 charging stations with up to 400 kilowatts of power for electric trucks across Germany by the end of 2025. The plan also includes large battery storage systems capable of storing up to three megawatts of green electricity. A total of 150 million euros will be invested in establishing fast-charging stations for electric trucks in Germany. The charging stations along the Autobahn will be publicly accessible, with additional plans for large battery storage systems to store up to three megawatts of generated green electricity. The first electric truck fast chargers are set to be built near the A1, A2, A5, A6, A61, and A67 Autobahns in 2024, with initial commitments for locations in Worms, Hamburg, Bremen, and at the Kamener Kreuz. 

The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) has initiated the Pal2Rec pallet project, aiming to advance the digitalization of pallet logistics utilizing sensor technology. The goal is  capturing and analyzing pallets’ movement data to gain new analytical possibilities in logistics and improve efficiency and transparency in the supply chain. Initially, a demo pallet equipped with necessary sensors will be used to determine which sensors are particularly suitable and what data should be collected. The researchers plan to first clarify the process steps that should be the focus of data collection. Subsequently, a script will be prepared to facilitate data processing and manual activity recognition, followed by extensive real-world testing. 

Berlin-based mobility startup Vay and technology company ioki are planning to develop a remotely controlled, teleoperated on-demand service. The two companies will use jointly developed teleoperation technology to bring cost-efficient and digital on-demand mobility services to the streets in the future. Users will be able to request a vehicle via an app, as usual. The vehicle will then arrive at the user's location, controlled from a teleoperation center. The algorithm developed by ioki will calculate the route and enable ridepooling. The ioki platform will serve as the booking interface for users. The first pilot projects are planned for next year. The companies are currently in contact with various transport companies for this purpose. 

Renault Trucks is constructing a new spare parts distribution center for the global market in Lyon, France, with completion planned for 2028. The center, covering an area of 46,000 square meters, will include a flexible and scalable standard warehouse, a fully automated warehouse for small parts, and a special area for battery storage. The entire roof area will be equipped with photovoltaic modules to cover the center's electricity needs. The generated electricity will not only meet its own requirements, such as heating the building and charging electric vehicles and forklifts, but also those of neighboring buildings. This will allow all facilities in the building to be 100% free from fossil fuels and utilize renewable electricity. 

The Austrian transport company LKW Walter and the Luxembourg-based railway freight company CFL Cargo have launched a collaboration for a new intermodal connection between the terminals in Bettembourg-Dudelange in Luxembourg, and Lübeck in Germany. Operating with 40 craneable trailers that shuttle between the two cities, this service aims to provide a direct link between Scandinavia and Southern Europe, expanding the combined transport network. It is estimated that this transport option will reduce CO2 emissions by 11,700 tons annually. 

The EU Flagships project has unveiled its first cargo ship converted to fuel cell propulsion in collaboration with its partners. The "H2 Barge 2", offering a capacity of 1.2 Megawatts, will operate on the Rhine between Rotterdam, Netherlands and Duisburg, Germany and is supposed to save 3,000 tons of CO2 per year. Equipped with six 200kW fuel cells for a total output of 1.2 MW, the H2 Barge 2 represents a significant step towards emission-free waterborne transport. The project's initiators aim to further promote emission-free transport on water.