Truck lobby sounds the alarm: billions in fines are threatened because of EU climate targets!

Truck lobby sounds the alarm: billions in fines are threatened because of EU climate targets!

The truck lobby is facing a serious challenge: there is a risk of high penalties if European climate targets are not met. The lobby association Acea warns that manufacturers will have to expect billions in payments due to the sluggish growth in climate-friendly trucks. Despite the growing requirements, the majority of newly registered trucks still rely on diesel. Diesel vehicles currently make up over 90 percent of new registrations, while in the first quarter of 2025 only 3.5 percent of the trucks taken over were electric, be it in the form of battery or plug-in hybrids. When it comes to buses, the proportion of environmentally harmful diesel models is almost 65 percent.

The pressure on manufacturers is growing not only from governments, but also from clear guidelines from the EU. The European Parliament and the EU states have agreed on stricter CO2 requirements for new heavy commercial vehicles. From 2030 onwards, CO2 emissions from trucks and buses are to be significantly reduced, including a reduction of 45 percent by 2030, followed by 65 percent by 2035 and 90 percent by 2040 compared to 2019 values. These requirements affect almost all trucks, including work vehicles, and expand the scope of the regulation to city buses and long-distance buses.

Political demands and manufacturer reactions

Christian Levin, the boss of Scania and chair of the Acea Commercial Vehicles Committee, is calling on politicians to take further measures to increase demand for more climate-friendly commercial vehicles. Among other things, an increase in the cost of transport using climate-damaging energy sources is encouraged. Levin emphasizes that without a significant improvement in the charging infrastructure for electric trucks, a real shift towards more environmentally friendly transport solutions cannot take place.

The EU requirements also include specific emission reduction targets for different vehicle types. For example, new city buses must reduce their emissions by 90 percent from 2030 and be emission-free by 2035. Trailers and semi-trailers are also subject to stricter requirements, with a reduction target of 7.5 percent and 10 percent respectively.

Results and further steps

The new CO2 standards have far-reaching consequences for the entire transport industry in Europe. Heavy commercial vehicles already account for over 25 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and therefore more than 6 percent of the European Union's total greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, the EU and Member States are determined to enforce these requirements and promote the possibilities of new technologies. The Commission will review the regulation by 2027 and, if necessary, adapt it to include small trucks and the use of CO2-neutral fuels.

In view of these developments, association representatives are urgently calling for more political support and investment in zero-emission technologies as well as the necessary charging and refueling infrastructure. Otherwise, manufacturers will face existential challenges that could potentially result in billions in fines. For further information on the details of these legal regulations, an overview is available t-online.de as well as Germany.eu available.