The European Commission has proposed new CO₂ emissions targets for new heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) from 2030 onwards. The Commission proposes phasing in stronger CO₂ emissions standards for almost all new HDVs with certified CO₂ emissions, compared to 2019 levels, specifically:

• 45% emissions reductions from 2030;

• 65% emission reductions from 2035;

• 90% emissions reduction from 2040.

Costs for HDV manufacturers increase as additional technologies need to be deployed in new vehicles to meet the stricter CO₂ targets, the Commission said: €3,400-9,700, €5,300-11,800 and €6,500-13,100 /vehicle for 2030, 2035 and 2040 respectively. This would need additional investments from manufacturers estimated at around €4.9 to €8.7 billion annually, between 2031 and 2050.

Extra costs per average trailer or semitrailer are €2,500-5250 /vehicle compared to a 2020 baseline.

To stimulate faster deployment of zero-emission buses in cities, the Commission also proposes to make all new city buses zero-emission as of 2030.

An exemption to the CO₂ reduction targets will apply to the following heavy-duty vehicles:

• small volume manufacturers;

• vehicles used for mining, forestry and agricultural purposes;

• vehicles designed and constructed for the use by armed forces and track-laying vehicles;

• vehicles designed and constructed or adapted for use by civil protection, fire services and forces responsible for maintaining public order, or urgent medical care; and

• vocational vehicles, such as garbage trucks.

These vehicles are not counted towards the average specific CO₂ emissions of manufacturers.

The Commission is not pursuing a pathway for the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels under the proposal. In the Commission’s view, a mechanism on renewable and low carbon fuels would create an incentive to redirect fuels needed to decarbonize sectors with fewer alternatives—such as aviation and maritime—to road transport.

Industry has already announced three technologies driving the shift to zero emissions for heavy-duty trucking: battery-electric, fuel cell and hydrogen combustion. These can increasingly cover most uses, from short distance and urban transport to long distance trucking, the Commission said. In addition, until 2040, the 90% emissions reduction target ensures that heavy-duty vehicles intended for driving in difficult conditions (e.g. very steep mountains) can still be non-zero emission vehicles.

Background. Emissions in the HDV sector have been increasing year-on-year since 2014 with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially in the freight sector, emissions are increasing rapidly. This is mainly due to growing road transport demand, which is expected to keep rising in the future. In 2019, freight emissions were 44% higher than emissions from the aviation sector and 37% higher than maritime transport emissions.

The vast majority of heavy-duty vehicles in the EU fleet (99%) currently run on internal combustion engines, fueled largely by imported fossil fuels such as diesel. This adds to the EU’s energy dependency and current volatility of the energy market.

The current HDV emissions standards date from 2019, but are no longer in line with the EU’s climate objectives, the Commission said. Existing legislation does not provide a sufficiently clear and long-term signal to investors and does not reflect the new reality in the energy sector and the rapid developments in the HDV industry globally. The proposed new CO₂ standards are in line with the EU's increased climate ambitions, the Fit for 55 package and the Paris Agreement.

To support this proposal, investments need to be channeled into zero-emission vehicles and into the recharging and refueling infrastructure. The Commission has already proposed the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation to develop the necessary charging infrastructure to support the green transition of the heavy duty vehicles sector. In particular, the Commission proposed to install charging and fueling points at regular intervals on major highways—every 60 kilometers for electric charging and every 150 kilometers for hydrogen refueling.

The Commission is working with the co-legislators to finalize the negotiations on these proposals.

Resources

• Proposal