The Future of Freight Transport Will Be Electric and Modular

The transport sector, like the automotive industry, is committed to environmental sustainability: reducing CO2 emissions to achieve carbon neutrality as mandated by Europe for 2040. This goal does not seem difficult to achieve, as experts predict that by 2030, one-third of the mileage of heavy road freight transport will be electric.

The IAA Transportation, better known as the Hannover Fair, has witnessed the presentation and launch of over 145 world premieres and innovations focused on electric and hydrogen technologies. Developments and prototypes of small, medium, and large sizes pave the way for a more sustainable future in transport. Brands such as Fiat, Peugeot, Citroën, Opel—part of Stellantis' commercial division Stellantis Pro One—Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo, Kia, IVECO, MAXUS, Renault... have the potential to completely transform logistics and passenger transport.

Renault, for example, has designed the ideal van to make life easier for professional drivers, merchants, and workers—all within a compact body capable of accommodating a generous load. A prototype named after the model that revolutionized the van market 65 years ago, the Estafette Concept will become a production vehicle in just two years.

Kia has jumped on this trend by developing several electric vehicles of small, medium, and large dimensions. These are mainly aimed at being solutions in urban areas for passengers or parcels but can easily handle highways or heavy-duty work.

Hyundai has introduced the first vehicle from its global light commercial vehicle platform for European markets in collaboration with IVECO. The revolutionary electric vehicle will be marketed in Europe under the IVECO brand with the name "eMoovy." Similarly, Ford Pro and Toyota Professional offer a wide range of plug-in models. Ford has showcased its future plug-in hybrid version of its versatile and powerful Ranger pick-up; Toyota has renewed its legendary Hilux pick-up with a Mild Hybrid engine and introduced its first large van PROACE MAX. This segment is more vibrant than ever with MAXUS entering the European market with the ETERRON 9.

Hydrogen will also play a part in the future of transport. It offers a solution for long-distance driving with zero emissions without losing time refueling. An example is the Opel Movano Hydrogen and the Renault Master H2-Tech Prototype—a revolutionary van that achieves 700 km of range in just 5 minutes.