The 55 electric bus route (ElectriCity) in Gothenburg, Sweden has been awarded the European Solar Prize 2015 in the Transport and Mobility category as “Exemplary supply of public transport with renewable energy as part of a cooperation between city and science”. The European Solar Prize 2015 is awarded by the European Association for Renewable Energy, EUROSOLAR, to projects which aim to raise public awareness about energy transition to a sustainable society. ElectriCity is a collaboration between research, industry and society where new sustainable public transport solutions for the future are developed, demonstrated and evaluated. Among the partners involved in this cooperation there is Volvo Group.

On November 16, the majority of the members of UNIMEV (the French Union of Exhibitions Professions) met to sign a joint declaration of the whole events' sector. All operators in the supply chain (organizers of fairs / exhibitions / conferences / events; exhibition parks / convention centers / sports arenas; suppliers, research centers ...) expressed their deep sadness following the terrible attacks that shocked Paris and the 'Ile-de-France Region on the evening of November 13 and showed sympathy and solidarity to the families and relatives of the victims. Safety of events, and people in the first instance, has always been a concern of those involved in our supply chain. Today, all the operators have decided to intensify efforts to ensure the safety of participants (exhibitors, visitors, conference participants, spectators, athletes, journalists, employees ...) to the events taking place in France. In this context, we are proud to work in an industry that promotes human relationships and social relations, economic and cultural rights, and that is involved in the development of France. Events must continue to exist as moments of exchange, sharing and meeting. And it's for this reason that most of the organizers decided to confirm the events scheduled.

Van Hool will supply 20 double-articulated, fully electric and zero-emissions Exqui.City tram-buses to the Austrian public transport operator LINZ AG LINIEN. Delivery of the first prototypes is planned for the first half of 2017 and all the vehicles are to be in service in Linz and the wider area by the end of 2019. The new double-articulated trolley tram-buses have a length of 24 metres and a capacity of approximately 180 passengers. The innovative drive technology, which includes two electric motors and a battery-powered reserve drive, enables brief interruptions with the overhead line being bridged without difficulty. The two maintenance-free asynchronous motors are located centrally and driving axles 2 and 3. The battery for the back-up drive is charged during travel by contact with the overhead line and/or by regenerative braking. The electric traction system is supplied by Vossloh Kiepe.

The long-distance bus services operator FlixBus has acquired LIINITA, German start-up specialized in mass transit. "Long-distance buses will stay our core business, still we are always watching out for new opportunities", said André Schwämmlein, CEO FlixBus. "With LIINITA’s expertise, we establish new business fields besides regular bus transport. In the future, we want to meet the mobility needs of our customers in an even more individual way.” From now on, LIINITA’s founder Dominik Eggert, and other members of the LIINITA team will operate in the FlixBus office in Munich in the department “strategic projects”, working on new business fields. Founded in 2013 in Munich by Dominik Eggert, LIINITA was developing group-mobility- concepts as an alternative to travelling by car. Supported by the ESA Business Incubation Center Bavaria and the cabinet of Upper Bavaria, the start-up was initially concentrating on collected transportation in short-distance traffic. On behalf of an international furniture shop chain, LIINITA developed an optimized transportation concept for customers without their own vehicle, with the aid of defined algorithms.

The Board of Directors of Scania has appointed Henrik Henriksson as the new President and CEO of Scania AB. He will take up his position on 1 January 2016 and succeeds Per Hallberg. Since the same date, Henrik Henriksson will become a member of the Volkswagen Truck & Bus Management Board (Truck Board). “Henrik Henriksson is a capable and experienced person, with great entrepreneurial spirit and visionary leadership. He has the right profile to lead and develop the company in the long-term,” says Andreas Renschler, Chairman of the Scania Board of Directors. Henrik Henriksson, born 1970, holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He has been a member of Scania’s Executive Board since 2012 and is currently Executive Vice President and head of Sales and Marketing. He joined Scania as a Management trainee in 1997 and has held a number of senior positions in the company’s marketing organisation.