 The commercial goods vehicles sec-tor has changed beyond recognition in recent years: today, GPS satellite navigation, mobile phones and the internet all help to track fleets in real time, optimise the delivery of goods and enhance transport security. Trucks and light commercial vehicles are an essential part of the logistics value chain in Europe. Vehicles like these are subject to increasingly strict emission standards (Euro 4 and 5 for diesel and petrol engines) to reduce the impact they have on highway and urban traffic. The “Transport” section of the French Law of August 3, 2009 implementing the first element of France’s Green New Deal (“Grenelle I”), following the conclusion of the “Grenelle” Environment Round Table Talks, seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and to reduce France’s dependence on hydrocarbons.
Manufacturers are working on innovative projects to replace fossil fuels. Renault Trucks (Volvo-Renault) has developed a hybrid truck that recycles energy (the Renault Premium Distribution Hybrys-Tech), as well as fully electric vehicles like the Renault Midlum or Maxity electric. These cleaner and quieter vehicles are intended for use in urban distribution. A British company, Modec, is building fully electric light commercial vehicles aimed at local authorities and businesses which will be marketed from late 2009 in Paris, Lille, Marseille, Bordeaux, Orléans, Rennes, Strasbourg and Lyon.
Several municipal authorities and businesses in France have embarked on trials of trucks running on clean energy, like in La Rochelle and Lyon where hybrid trucks are being tested to make deliveries to town-centre stores. The carrier TNT uses electric vehicles or three-wheeled vehicles for urban deliveries. Chronopost (a subsidiary of the La Poste group) delivers and collects packages using electric ULVs (ultra-light vehicles) and small electric trolleys (powered by electric batteries) called “Chrono City”.
Other techniques that have a significant impact on reducing consumption are being examined, focusing on axles, bearings, tyres, lubricants and aerodynamics (e.g., Nova Plast 3.5 tonne utility vehicle). Manufacturers like Renault Trucks, IVECO and ECA as well as carriers DHL, TNT, Condis, supported by municipal councils and university laboratories, are working together on the European research program FIDEUS (Freight Innovative Delivery of Goods in European Urban Spaces) to create an urban distribution vehicle. Research is also being carried out into driving assistance, navigation devices and automatic toll systems.
 Renault-Trucks is extending its R&D work in the Rhône-Alpes region, working in partnership with the Lyon Urban Truck&Bus (LUTB) innovation cluster. 40 R&D projects have been approved by this cluster, totaling Euro 70 million of investment. The Nov@log cluster in Haute-Normandie has approved projects being led by foreign companies such as Bosch (to optimise supply chain management) and Electronic Equipment Marine Industry (electronic real-time and pre-recorded information-gathering solutions).
According to David Appia, Chairman and CEO of the Invest in France Agency, “The commercial goods vehicles sector is evolving and holds many new opportunities for foreign investors, thanks to the dynamic nature of initiatives by manufacturers and local authorities, as well as France’s innovation clusters and the measures adopted as part of France’s ‘Green New Deal’.”
The Invest in France Agency (IFA) promotes and facilitates international investment in France. The IFA network operates worldwide. The IFA works in partnership with regional development agencies to offer international investors business opportunities and customized services all over France. (www.investinfrance.org).
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