The presentation made by the Belgian Professor Joeri Van Mierlo (Free University of Brussels - VUB) about electric and hybrid vehicles, during the Fleet Europe Forum, was followed by the attending public with greater than normal interest.

After all, due to rising fuel prices and climate problems, this type of vehicle represents an interesting option for the future. Van Mierlo, who started out with an overview of the current technology for hybrid and electric vehicles, also covered the benefits and disadvantages thereof.

After this he compared the cost price per km of traditional cars with those of electric vehicles. The most important conclusion of this is that, when all cost factors such as maintenance, taxation and fuel costs are taken into account, electric cars do provide a real advantage. One of Van Mierlo’s conclusions for the attending public was that these types of vehicles can be an interesting fleet solution. Van Mierlo did recognize that the determination of a residual value for electric vehicles is still a sticking point.