From next summer, Brussels will introduce three electric horseless carriages, confirmed City Councillor for Economic Affairs and Employment Fabien Maingain (Défi). The carriages will be the first of their kind in Europe.
The initiative is being launched by the Well Done Company, which previously operated horse-drawn carriages. In the wake of recent debates about the welfare of horses, entrepreneur Thibault Danthine looked for an alternative, Bruzz reports.
"We did not stop using horses because it did not work; there was a great demand for the rides. We stopped for other reasons," he said. "One was the difficulty sometimes of finding a suitable place for the animals to stay. Then, there was the debate about animal welfare. Finally, it was a challenge to find staff who could handle horses."
Exploiting ponies or other fairground horses has been forbidden in the Brussels Capital-Region since 2021, when Brussels Animal Welfare Minister Bernard Clerfayt (Défi) introduced a new law. Not long after, a ban on horse-drawn carriages was introduced.
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Now, Well Done Company took the idea of horseless carriages to the city council and so, the decision was made. "We were looking for something modern that did not exist elsewhere," said Maingain.
Danthine stated that he is "delighted" to be able to continue doing what he loves for another ten years. "Without the horses, it will be much easier for me."
Over the next few months, he will ensure the carriages will be up and running in the city by summer. The horses to be replaced by electric motors were retired last summer.
