Trucks and commercial vehicles sector, a challenge for research and the French industrial
In France, trucks or commercial vehicles sector has undergone major changes in recent years, such as GPS tracking, mobile telephony and data transmission. These new technologies allow the tracking of fleets in real time, optimizing the routing of the goods, and therefore a greater transport safety.
Trucks are an essential element in European logistics value chain, they are still subject to increasingly strict regulatory measures. Emissions regulations 'Euro 4 and 5' for diesel engines and gasoline, in order to reduce its environmental impact on the roads and urban areas, are an example of this. The section 'Transport' of the Act of August 3, 2009, on the implementation of the resolutions taken during the Summit of Grenelle environment I (web: www.legrenelle-environnement.fr) created by the French State in conjunction with representatives of civil society to preserve the environment and sustainable development -It aims to reduce emissions of gases greenhouse by 20% by the year 2020 and to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons.
It is what the manufacturers are developing innovative projects which pursue the replacement of fossil fuels. Renault Trucks (Volvo-Renault) has perfected a vehicle of hybrid propulsion with recovery of energy, Renault Premium Distribution Hybrids-Tech, two 100% electric, such as the Renault Midlum or the electric Renault Mascott. This type of vehicle, less polluting and less noisy, has been specially designed for urban distribution sector.
The English company Modec sells, from the end of 2009, a truck 100% electric for enterprises and the municipalities of Paris, Lille, Marseille, Bordeaux, Orleans, Rennes, Strasbourg and Lyon.
Indeed, multiple cities and French companies are conducting experiments with lorries with "clean energy". La Rochelle and Lyon are testing a hybrid industrial vehicle for the commercial provision in their respective towns. Also, the transport TNT company uses electric cars for the same purpose. Chronopost (subsidiary of the La Poste Group) manages the collection and delivery of parcels by VUL (ultralight vehicles) electric, as well as with electric trolleys (electric battery-powered automotive platforms) baptized Chrono City.
Other techniques that also are being studied given their significant impact on the reduction of consumption, are those that affect shafts, bearings, tires, lubricants, and aerodynamics (Nova Plast, industrial vehicle of 3.5 t). Manufacturers Renault Trucks, Iveco and RCTs and DHL, TNT transport companies, Condis, in collaboration with various town halls and university laboratories, are working in the European programme of research Fideus (Freight Innovative Delivery of Goods in European Urban Spaces). Research is also focusing on navigation, power steering and automatic toll systems teams.
From its facilities in Rhône-Alpes, Renault-Trucks is carrying out, in connection with the technological cluster Lyon Urban Truck & Bus (LUTB), some 40 projects of r & d amounting to 70 million euros. Another cluster, Nov@log, located in the French region of Alta-Normandía, has approved several projects of foreign entities such as Bosch (optimization of the ' Supply chain') or Electronic Equipment Marine Industry (solutions e for the treatment of information in real time or deferred)(, about possible incidents on route).
According to David Appia, Chairman of Scoreboard, "the commercial vehicles in France sector is undergoing multiple changes that provide opportunities for foreign investors thanks to the initiatives of the industry and dynamics of French municipalities, measures taken during the Grenelle of environment Ambient"", as well as technological clusters".
