From 18–21 May 2026, the ZEFES project proudly participated in the Transport Research Arena 2026 in Budapest, joining leading stakeholders from across Europe to discuss the future of sustainable and zero-emission transport.
Throughout the conference, ZEFES contributed to important discussions on the transition towards zero-emission heavy-duty road transport, highlighting both the technological progress being made and the challenges that still need to be addressed to enable large-scale deployment across Europe.
Contributing to Europe’s Zero-Emission Freight Dialogue
One of the key moments for ZEFES during the conference was our contribution to Special Session 25: Towards zero-emission heavy-duty road transport in Europe | Technology State of the Art, lessons learned, and next steps.
During the session, ZEFES technical coordinator Ben Kraaijenhagen shared insights from the project’s work and addressed some of the key challenges facing the transition to zero-emission heavy-duty transport. His presentation highlighted practical lessons learned within ZEFES and explored pathways to support the further adoption of zero-emission freight solutions in Europe.
Contributing to Discussions on Charging Infrastructure Deployment
In addition to the project-focused sessions, ZEFES coordinator Omar Hegazy from Vrije Universiteit Brussel also participated in a high-level round table discussion titled “Accelerating the deployment of recharging infrastructure of electric vehicles: challenges and opportunities.”
The session explored the current state of charging infrastructure deployment across Europe, including public, semi-public, and private charging solutions, with a particular focus on heavy-duty and commercial vehicles operating at logistics hubs and depots. Discussions also highlighted the growing importance of smart and bi-directional charging technologies and their role in supporting Europe’s future energy and mobility systems.
Collaboration Within the AEVETO Cluster
ZEFES also participated in the dedicated AEVETO Cluster session organised by ALICE – Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe. Alongside fellow Horizon Europe projects — FLEXMCS project, MACBETH Project, NextETRUCK, and ESCALATE — the session focused on the future of zero-emission freight transport and the wider ecosystem needed to support it.
The session featured project presentations, discussions on the draft white paper on energy infrastructure presented by Thomas Geury from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and an engaging panel discussion involving:
- Omar Hegazy (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, coordinator of ZEFES)
- Andrea Condotta (GRUBER Logistics)
- Frances Sprei (Chalmers University of Technology)
- Mats Rosenquist (Volvo Group)
- Federico Cartasegna (Iveco Group)
A clear takeaway from the discussion was that while battery-electric and fuel-cell technologies are advancing rapidly, supporting infrastructure, energy systems, logistics operations, and policy frameworks must evolve simultaneously to enable widespread adoption of zero-emission freight transport.
Showcasing Research Through Posters
In addition to the conference sessions, ZEFES research was also presented through two project posters:
- A poster from Fraunhofer, presented by Henning Wittig
- A poster from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, presented by Mohamed El Baghdadi
These contributions showcased ongoing research and innovation activities within the project and generated valuable discussions with conference participants.
Looking Ahead
TRA2026 provided an excellent opportunity for ZEFES to exchange knowledge, strengthen collaboration with European partners, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on the future of zero-emission freight transport.
We would like to thank everyone who attended the sessions, visited the posters, and engaged with the project throughout the week in Budapest. Together with our partners and the wider AEVETO Cluster, ZEFES continues working towards accelerating the transition to sustainable, zero-emission heavy-duty transport in Europe.
