European lawmakers today approved CO2 targets for heavy vehicles that will phase out almost all new diesel truck sales by 2040. Manufacturers will have to cut average new truck emissions by 45% in 2030, and 65% in 2035, and 90% in 2035. 2040. The green group Transport and Environment (T&E) said the law provides European truck producers with planning to reach zero emissions and compete with foreign electric truck makers.
Fedor Unterloner, Shipping Director at T&E, said: “The EU is clearly telling truck makers when almost all of their vehicles must be zero-emission. European producers now have a clear path to ramp up production of electric and hydrogen platforms and prepare to take on the challenge posed by Tesla and Chinese rivals.”
EU governments and members of the European Parliament agreed that from 2035, the targets will also apply to professional vehicles such as garbage trucks and construction trucks. This extension will result in an additional 7% of the heavy vehicle market being subject to CO2 targets, T&E said. Negotiators resisted pressure from the fossil fuel industry to create a loophole in e-fuel and biofuel targets.
Trailer manufacturers need to improve the emissions performance of truck trailers by 10% in 2030 – a weaker target than the Commission proposed. The CO2 target for buses has also been reduced to 90% in 2030, reaching 100% by 2035.
T&E estimates that the EU targets will result in about 30% of trucks sold in 2030, and at least three-quarters in 2040, being zero emissions – electric or hydrogen. After cars, heavy vehicles are the biggest polluter of transport in Europe.
Fedor Unterlöner concluded: “None of the stakeholders got everything they wanted, but the reality is that this is a very balanced deal and positive news. One of Europe’s biggest polluters has a way to go green. Certainty in long-term investment has been provided to manufacturers and the shipping industry. Now let’s get to work “
