From homeless, anonymous guy to TV star, at least for one day. Alexandre has appeared on French media , sitting on a bridge in Lyon, while inviting passers-by to give him money by scanning a QR Code with their smartphone .

Cities are highly complex systems with challenges such as pollution, traffic congestion, high energy consumption and economic development. All over Europe, many cities are now engaged in making themselves "smarter" by going green and going digital.

It is a familiar sight for any city dweller: the truck double parked or stopping traffic on a busy road to deliver some package at a house door. Commercial deliveries are an increasing congestion issue, particularly for European historical city centres.

European cities are well aware that transport is a leading emitter of GHGs (Greenhouse Gas, a 33% share in 2019, according to the IEA , International Energy Agency), so decarbonisation of public transport systems is a key component of net-zero carbon strategies.

“ E-car batteries are a key technology to implement rapid electrification of transport and achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement . Their production will generate billions of euros in revenue and create thousands of jobs.

With buyers facing unusually long delays between ordering and receiving new cars, car manufacturers are pivoting to make key components, including semiconductor chips and lithium-ion batteries .

A new report by Gothenburg, Sweden-headquartered carmaker Volvo shows that electric vehicles must still overcome big environmental challenges, even as they reduce greenhouse gas emissions .

Sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are increasing as consumers and automakers alike benefit from European government subsidies for electric vehicles.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are starting to win market share in Europe, as consumers opt for cleaner technology and lawmakers strengthen emissions rules for automakers in a bid to bring down pollution levels.

Battery electric cars are slowly gaining in popularity among consumers in Europe as mainstream automakers respond to an industry-wide shift away from petrol and diesel vehicles.

Sales of electric vehicles are slowly beginning to gain traction in Europe as mainstream brands including Volkswagen, BMW, Fiat, Opel and Hyundai start to roll out battery-powered models.

Electric cars are rapidly moving from the periphery of the automotive sector in the European Union to the mainstream.

Low-carbon mobility is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Valladolid, Spain, hybrid buses use electricity in the city centre and are connected to a smart city platform which monitors how often they charge and how much.

Greenhouse gases decreased by 23% between 1990 and 2016, said the third report on the state of the “Energy Union”, which tracks the EU's transition to a low-carbon society.

Grass could be used to produce biofuels. The advantage of using grass crops is that they can be grown in marginal lands that would otherwise not be used .

Vehicles seats are normally made of polyurethane foam, a thick material that is expensive to recycle and ends up in dumping sites or being incinerated.

Hydro-mechanical diesel multiple units (DMUs), multiple unit trains powered by diesel engines, are needed in regional traffic.

In the last five years 25 European research institutions have joint forces to develop a rechargeable battery which uses lithium nano-particles.

The European HySYS project aims to take stock of the elements needed to manufacture an electric vehicle whose electricity is generated by a fuel cell. The fuel cell on board is powered by air and hydrogen.

The search for a new clean energy increases worldwide as the sources of natural energy diminish. The transport sector is especially vulnerable, by the decline in oil reserves, at the time when number of cars on our roads steadily increases.