AFIF, Johnson Matthey, Bosch, ZF, Rivian

The European Union is providing nearly €422 million for 39 projects as part of the first call for proposals under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program. These projects aim to expand the infrastructure for alternative fuels along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) to help decarbonize transport. The plan includes establishing around 2,500 charging points for light commercial vehicles and 2,400 for heavy commercial vehicles, 35 hydrogen refueling stations for cars, trucks, and buses, as well as the electrification of ground handling services at eight airports. Final approval for the projects by the European Commission is expected in the coming months. 

Johnson Matthey and Bosch have announced a partnership to develop fuel cells for commercial vehicles. As part of this collaboration, Johnson Matthey will produce catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) and supply them to Bosch. Bosch plans to integrate these CCMs into its fuel cell power modules, specifically developed for use in commercial vehicles. Both companies believe that transforming and decarbonizing the automotive industry will require a mix of powertrains and solutions for different vehicle classes. 

German supplier ZF is collaborating with California-based Range Energy to advance the introduction of E-Trailers in the North American commercial vehicle industry. The focus is on integrating ZF's AxTrax 2 e-axle into Range Energy’s trailers. Initial tests of the E-Trailer system are expected to show savings of up to $20,000 per trailer per year, as well as a reduction in CO₂ emissions by up to 40 tons annually. The electrified trailers will assist the towing vehicles during startup and acceleration, helping to reduce fuel consumption and increase efficiency. 

U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian is now offering its electric delivery vans, known as EDVs, to other customers beyond its exclusive partnership with Amazon. Starting now, companies in the U.S. can place orders for the EDV. However, Amazon remains a key partner with an order of 100,000 vehicles by 2030, 20,000 of which are already in service.