Brussels switches from horse-drawn carriages to electric ones
In Brussels' central square, tourists have swapped horse-drawn carriages for electric ones, partly due to concern about the animals' welfare.
Transcript
00:00Brussels has become the first European capital to transition from horse-drawn carriages to
00:06electric ones for tourists taking city tours.
00:10Thibault Danthin, whose company is making the historic change, says the ethics of using
00:15horses have now changed.
00:17There were a whole series of factors that made me make this decision to stop. There
00:21were logistical issues, human resources, it was more and more difficult to find checkpoints,
00:28and then the ethics change, and you have to hear that. The relationship with the animal
00:32today is different, and it is less accepted to have a commercial activity with animals.
00:40In recent years, the plight of horses has been increasingly raised, as they can stand
00:44hour after hour in the city streets.
00:50Last year, a horse died in Seville whilst pulling a carriage with tourists in intense
01:25traffic.
01:26The brand is called Andersen, a nod to the first man who electrified carriages in 1832.
01:32The brand is called Andersen, a nod to the first man who electrified carriages in 1832.
01:39The brand is called Andersen, a nod to the first man who electrified carriages in 1832.
01:46The brand is called Andersen, a nod to the first man who electrified carriages in 1832.
01:55With electricity, you imagine another version of the city.
02:08With a range of 120 kilometres, the vehicles are recharged once every two days.
02:18And the tours, which would have otherwise been cancelled when temperatures reached 30
02:22degrees, can now go ahead.