In Brussels’ Grand-Place, tourists no longer ride in traditional horse-drawn carriages, but in electric horse-drawn carriages.
In his canvases, the Grand-Place painter has replaced the horse-drawn carriages with a new tourist attraction: los electric horse cars. Since the beginning of June, Brussels is the first city in Europe who has made a complete transition to these electric vehicles for tourist purposes.
Thibault Danthine has ended his horse carriage activity in 2022. After winning a call for projects from the city of Brussels, this summer he launched two electric horse carriages.
Increased criticism of animal suffering
“There were logistical and human resources problems. It was increasingly difficult to find drivers. And ethics are changingand that must be understood. The relationship with animals is different today, and is less accepted to have a commercial activity with animals“, explained Thibault Danthine, manager of Electric Carriages of Brussels.
In recent years criticism has increased to horse-drawn carriages used for tourism. Last year, a horse died in Seville while pulling a carriage with tourists in the middle of heat wave.
For his part, Thibault Danthine, who claims to have always had animal protection very much in mind, has taken the initiative to sell his six horses. “I never had the slightest doubt that electric horse cars would continue to attract people. Because people today want to experience something newsomething unusual, something to do with family or friends. And electric horse cars do all that. so also we are left with a period styleand I think it was important to respect this heritage“, afirma Thibault Danthine.
An alternative form of tourist transportation
The businessman has invested several hundred thousand euros in two vehicleslaunched in June and manufactured in Poland. A third will be delivered this summer. The brand is called Anderson, a nod to Robert Anderson, the first to electrify horse-drawn carriages in 1832.
With a range of 120 kilometers, the vehicle has to be recharged once every two days. “I think the change from horse carriages to these new electric cars is better, not only because the horses made a lot of noise and also a lot of smells in the city, but also for the animals, because they passed many hours outdoors in a city that has a lot of tourists,” says Sari, an anthropology student in Brussels.
“With horses, it’s another world, it’s an old environment. With electric vehicles, you imagine another version of the city“, enthuses Aurora, an Italian tourist, as she gets out of the horse-drawn carriage after a family outing.
Other cities have already contacted Thibault Danthine, interested in this alternative form of tourist transportation. In the Grand-Place, the mercury exceeds 30°C. Before, the horses stayed in their stables. Today, tourists can tour Brussels without worrying about the heat.
