NextETRUCK hosted a side event during the Green Mobility Exchange on 12 May in Amsterdam, co-hosted by consortium partner CENEX Nederland. While the overall event attracted around 150 participants, the NextETRUCK session welcomed 40 stakeholders interested in the project’s latest developments. The half-day programme focused on tools developed by CENEX Nederland and CERTH, alongside updates from the advanced NextETRUCK pilot cases in Istanbul and Barcelona. All presentations from the side event are available at the bottom of this article.
CENEX Tools
Following a short introduction to the project by POLIS Network, the hosts presented the TEIDE and KITE tools. The KITE tool was designed to support fleet operators in evaluating the transition to electric vehicles, while TEIDE forecasts energy demand, average usage and charging point revenues.
Last year, CENEX Nederland launched the free KITE tool to support the electrification of European freight transport and introduced it during the annual Spring Drinks event. Developed together with Cenex UK under the NextETRUCK project, the platform enables fleet operators to assess costs, charging infrastructure requirements, financing needs and potential emissions reductions.
The NextETRUCK Pilot Cases in Istanbul and Barcelona
While the Barcelona pilot concluded some time ago, the Istanbul use case was officially launched during a celebration held as part of the ITS Congress in late April.
Project partner Ford Otosan has begun operating its newly designed truck between two plants located east of Istanbul. The routes alternate across higher mountain ranges in order to simulate the impact of colder temperatures and seasonal variations.
Although the official deployment has only recently begun, the Ford Otosan team has already achieved several notable successes. Through extensive redesign work on the drivetrain, chassis and additional components, the vehicle’s weight was reduced by nearly two tonnes compared with a comparable internal combustion engine vehicle.
While the Istanbul pilot is entering its operational phase, the Barcelona pilot has already completed its six-month testing period. The refuse truck operated on alternating daily routes, collecting bulky household items such as refrigerators and washing machines on demand. Further detailed results will be presented during the upcoming NextETRUCK webinar on 10 June 2026.
Green Mobility Exchange: A glimpse into the decarbonised city of the future
The well-attended event, which significantly expanded upon previous editions of the traditional CENEX Nederland “Spring Drinks”, featured panel discussions and presentations on megawatt charging systems (MCS) and non-road mobile machinery. While MCS has also been explored within the NextETRUCK project, the topic of non-road mobile machinery attracted considerable interest among Dutch stakeholders, particularly as many cities continue to develop ambitious zero-emission zone strategies.
The host city, Amsterdam, aims to allow only zero-emission vehicles by 2030. Examples of battery-electric excavators, diggers and other heavy-duty vehicles were showcased, alongside discussions on procurement and investment strategies, as well as technical solutions such as on-site battery swapping.
Overall, NextETRUCK partners CENEX Nederland and POLIS Network expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to present project results, practical tools, pilot updates and upcoming activities to a highly engaged audience.
Presentations
CENEX Tools
CERTH Tools
IRIZAR Barcelona Pilot
FORD OTOSAN Istanbul Pilot