Truck manufacturers slam EU plan to slash truck emissions by a third by 2030

Tough new EU plans to cut CO2 emissions from new trucks by 35% by 2030 are unachievable, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has warned.

The warning follows a vote by the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, setting out tougher CO2 reduction targets in HGVs than those originally proposed by the European Commission in May.

The original targets were for a mandatory 15% cut in CO2 emissions in new trucks by 2025 and a voluntary 30% cut by 2030.

However, The environment committee voted to increase these targets to a mandatory 20% cut by 2025 and a recommended 35% cut by 2030.

The committee also voted in a measure making it mandatory for truck manufacturers to ensure that 5% of all trucks sold in Europe to be zero or low emission by 2025 rising to 20% by 2030.

ACEA called the 35% cut to truck CO2 levels “extremely stringent,” arguing that the original proposal of a 30% cut as “already highly challenging.” It believes a more realistic target would be a mandatory 7% cut by 2025 and a 15% cut by 2030.

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The association also argued that the timescale for the standards fails to take into account the long development period needed for new trucks.

ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert, said: “Europe’s truck industry is willing to commit to ambitious CO2 targets, provided that these are technologically and economically viable in the given timeframe.”

Jonnaert added: “These targets would pose major problems, as they simply do not take account of the realities and complexities of the truck market, nor the long development cycles for heavy-duty vehicles. MEPs should be aware that trucks that will hit the market in 2025 are already under development now.”

ACEA also criticised the decision to introduce a benchmark system which would set financial penalties for manufacturers that fail to meet what ACEA described as “totally unrealistic” zero- and low- emission vehicles sales targets.

Jonnaert said: “This does not take account of the fact that the electrification potential of heavy-duty vehicles is much lower than for cars, especially when it comes to long-haul delivery trucks. In addition, recharging infrastructure is lacking, in particular along motorways.”

The new targets will be put to a vote next month at a plenary session of the European Parliament.