Image: BMWBMW’s announcement does not include a detailed breakdown of the order by brand, model, or variant. However, deliveries are expected to focus on the BMW iX1 and the all-electric Mini Countryman. Models from the Neue Klasse range, such as the BMW iX3 and the recently announced BMW i3, are also set to be included.The announcement does not specify the total size of Katoen Natie’s passenger car fleet in Belgium or what proportion the newly ordered electric vehicles will represent. Additionally, the company has not disclosed a target year for a complete transition to battery-electric vehicles or a potential BEV-only policy for future orders. Enquiries have been made, and updates will be provided once responses are received.What is clear, however, is that the transition of Katoen Natie’s corporate fleet is part of a broader sustainability strategy. According to the company, it already relies on renewable energy generation, battery storage systems, and intelligent energy management. Across its sites, Katoen Natie produces electricity from solar and wind energy, and the new electric vehicles are intended to be integrated into this energy system.“For us, electrification is not a standalone project but a logical next step within a broader energy and sustainability strategy,” said Joris Verheulpen, Chief Procurement Officer at Katoen Natie. The company is building an integrated system ‘integrated system where vehicles, energy production, storage, and smart control reinforce each other. The choice for BMW fits into this approach: scalable, technologically grounded, and focused on the long term.’The transition will be supported by further investments in charging infrastructure. Katoen Natie plans to establish a network of charging points at its Belgian sites. Intelligent systems will align charging processes with available energy generation and grid capacity. However, BMW has not provided further details.“Mobility is truly sustainable only when we look at the entire value chain,” said Alexander W. Wehr, CEO of BMW Group Belux. Katoen Natie is particularly well-positioned for this, as the company takes a holistic approach to the interplay between energy generation, storage, and consumption.The collaboration between Katoen Natie and the BMW Group is not new. The two companies already cooperate in the automotive supply chain in Thailand, where Katoen Natie provides logistics services for BMW’s production. The newly agreed deal in Belgium is set to deepen this international partnership. BMW highlights fleet electrification, charging infrastructure, digital mobility services, and logistics solutions as potential areas for expanded collaboration, though no further details have been provided.PwC Belgium also recently expanded its fleet with models from the BMW Group. In December, the auditing firm took delivery of 723 electric cars, including 300 Mini Aceman and 423 BMW iX1 units. At the time, BMW stated that PwC Belgium’s fleet consisted of 90% electrified vehicles, of which 40% were fully electric.bmwgroup.com
