EU countries and the European Parliament reached an agreement yesterday (18 January) on new rules tightening CO2 limits on heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), paving the way for a significant increase in the number of clean trucks and buses across Western Europe.
The Commission says it is sending a “clear signal” to OEMs, transport operators and users to “steer investments towards innovative zero-emissions technologies”. The agreement comes as many heavy-duty hydrogen vehicle players look to accelerate their European rollout.
The provisional agreement maintains targets set by the European Commission’s proposal for a 45% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030, 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040.
The new targets apply to heavy-duty trucks over 7.5 tonnes as well as coaches. The agreement will also extend the regulation’s scope to “vocational vehicles” including garbage trucks and concrete mixers in 2035.
Under the provisional agreement, still to be formally approved by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, HDV manufacturers must reduce carbon emissions of new vehicles by 45% by 2030, rising to 65% from 2035 and 90% from 2040.
As the targets are fleet-based, truck manufacturers will continue to be able to produce combustion engine vehicles running on fossil fuels after 2040. The majority of trucks and coaches sold after that date are expected to be powered by batteries or hydrogen to eliminate greenhouse gas exhaust emission.
In a change to the European Commission’s proposal, so-called “vocational vehicles”, such as rubbish trucks and cement mixers, will also be subject to the targets from 2035. Military and emergency vehicles remain exempt from the standards, as do small-volume manufacturers and HDVs used for mining, forestry and agriculture.
All urban buses will have to reduce emissions by 90% from 2030 before becoming completely zero-emissions by 2035.
Currently responsible for over 25% of the EU’s road transport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the CO2 standards have been slated as a way to contribute to the bloc’s 2050 Net Zero goals.
Exemptions from the targets will apply to small-volume manufacturers: vehicles used in mining, forestry and agriculture; vehicles used by the armed forces and fire services; and vehicles used in civil protection, public order and medical car.
The Commission is still reviewing the possibility of including trucks under five tonnes in the scope.
