Average carbon dioxide emissions from new trucks must be at least 45% lower by 2030, lawmakers in Europe have decided.
The European Parliament supported the targets proposed by the EU Commission to reduce emissions from heavy vehicles.
Truck makers would have to cut average emissions of new freight trucks by 45% in 2030, 65% in 2035, and 90% in 2040, which would lead to a phase-out of diesel trucks.
MEPs also said the criteria should be expanded to include the 20% of sales of heavy vehicles that the Commission has proposed to exempt, such as garbage and construction trucks and city vans.
To achieve these goals, Europe will need a complete transformation of the heavy transport system, according to the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA).
“For truck and bus manufacturers, the question is not whether we can decarbonize, but how quickly we can decarbonize,” said Sigrid de Vries, Director General of ACEA.
“We are doing our part by providing the vehicles and technology to make Europe’s road transport fossil-free by 2040.
“However, failure to address the enabling conditions will not only slow down the green transition in our sector, but will also threaten our global competitiveness.”
Manufacturers are investing billions in zero-emission technologies for battery electric and hydrogen vehicles.
The technology is available, and serial production is increasing rapidly, but ACEA says a lack of charging and refueling infrastructure, a lack of effective carbon pricing schemes and support measures to replace conventional models with zero-emission alternatives, are major obstacles. To the transitional stage.
“Manufacturers are doing their best to decarbonize, but they rely on enabling conditions that are largely outside their control,” De Vries said.
“Policymakers must recognize this in CO2 regulation and secure a stimulating policy framework that accelerates the green transformation of road transport.”
To achieve a 45% CO2 reduction by 2030, there would need to be more than 400,000 zero-emission trucks on the road — about 100,000 new zero-emission trucks registered annually or at least a third of new sales, according to ACEA.
Furthermore, at least 50,000 publicly available charging devices are needed, including 35,000 MW charging systems and 700 hydrogen refilling stations with a daily capacity of two tons.
However, the EU Parliament has been criticized for allowing trucks powered by synthetic and biofuels to be considered climate neutral.
“Biofuels and e-fuels will not only decarbonize heavy vehicles, but they will allow as many diesel trucks as possible to be sold for decades to come,” said Fedor Unterloner, Shipping Director at Transport & Environment (T&E).
Oil companies have pushed hard to close this loophole to help maintain demand for fuel. We call on the Council to cut off this lifeline to the fossil fuel industry.”
Sandra Rolling, Transport Director at the Climate Group, added: “Members of the European Parliament had the opportunity today to join the switch to electric vehicles in the same way that many companies have already done, but they missed their chance.
“Strong CO2 standards help set an unambiguous path towards the decarbonisation of heavy-duty road transport, and in adding definitions for carbon neutral fuels and asking the committee to consider developing a way to allow heavy trucks to run on ‘CO2 neutral fuels’,” the MPs said. European impact created a loophole for biofuels and e-fuels.
“While it is good news that CO2 emissions reduction targets have been maintained, the decision to allow these loopholes will only divert much-needed investment away from battery electric technologies, delaying companies’ ability to quickly transition to zero-emission vehicles.” truly.”
The Parliament and the EU Council will now begin negotiations on the final law, which are expected to end early next year.
