In Europe, regulations sometimes differ from one country to another, and European authorities are working to harmonize them to make life easier for citizens. Among these, driving licenses need to be harmonized to facilitate cross-border mobility within Europe. On October 21, a text to this effect was adopted by the European Parliament.
The new regulations allow electric vehicles to be driven with a "car" B license up to a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 4.250 t, instead of 3.5 t as previously. All Beeway 4t2s can now be driven with a "B" driving license.
However, this text must be transposed into national regulations within 3 years, followed by 1 year of implementation. The French Code must therefore be amended accordingly for this rule to be applicable in France.
Note that the French Highway Code already makes heavy commercial vehicles eligible for a B license, provided that their GVW is less than 3t5 after deduction of the weight of the batteries. For example, a Beeway B2 with a GVW of 4t can already be driven with a B license, as 500 kg of batteries can be deducted, bringing it under 3t5.
In addition to this opening-up to electric 4t2s, European regulations provide for the following harmonizations:
- A European digital license on your smartphone
- Licence withdrawals will have a European scope
- Revision of driving tests to incorporate new driver assistance and safety systems
- Licence valid for 15 years for motorcycles, 10 years for cars and 5 years for trucks
- Medical check-up or other check-up after age 65 and for renewals
