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PRESS RELEASE
TROVA launches electric retrofit trucks – first vehicle delivered to Ninatrans
Brucargo, March 25, 2025 — Today marks a major milestone in the transition to sustainable transport. At Brussels Airport, and in the presence of Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder, TROVA officially handed over its first fully electric repowered truck to transport company Ninatrans. This breakthrough, achieved in collaboration with Flanders Make, Brussels Airport, and with the support of VLAIO, demonstrates that the electrification of heavy-duty road transport can be faster, more affordable, and fully circular.
A Belgian First
The truck – a repowered Volvo FH – is the first electric truck in Belgium to receive official homologation through a repowering process. This approval was granted on January 14, 2025, following a successful homologation procedure supported by technical service CHTS and the Department of Mobility and Public Works.
Starting today, the electric truck will be operated by Ninatrans for shuttle transport in and around Zaventem Airport. Deploying retrofit trucks at logistics hubs like Brucargo is a tangible step toward zero-emission, low-noise, and circular transportation.
The converted Volvo FH from Ninatrans is eight years old and has already driven 730,000 km. Thanks to TROVA’s repower model, the vehicle is reborn with a completely new electric drivetrain, batteries and an intelligent Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) that manages all onboard systems.
Flemish technology, ready for Europe
The technological development of the retrofit solution was carried out in close cooperation with Flanders Make, the strategic research center for the Flemish manufacturing industry. From software development and simulation to thermal design and reverse engineering, Flanders Make provided critical expertise across key development phases.
Government support
The Flemish government played a key role in enabling this innovation. The development was financially supported through a VLAIO R&D project, and recent changes in legislation have now made homologation for repowered electric trucks a legal reality.
Annick De Ridder, Flemish Minister of Mobility:
“Sustainable transport is a top priority for our government. Initiatives like TROVA’s retrofit model demonstrate how innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration can future-proof our mobility system.”
The next step: scaling up
With the successful homologation and launch at Brussels Airport, TROVA is ready to scale. The technology has been developed with a multi-brand approach, making it adaptable to various truck models and manufacturers.
In 2025, TROVA will expand its production capacity and push for broader adoption within the logistics sector. In doing so, the company contributes to a circular economy and helps achieve the EU’s climate targets for heavy-duty transport: a 90% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2040.
