The European Commission has proposed a “targeted amendment” to CO2 emissions deadlines for HGVs amid a lack of confidence among operators about EV charging infrastructure.
It said relaxing the emissions standards for heavy duty vehicles provided flexibility and eased compliance with 2030 targets.
In addition, the EC said deadlines for new cars and vans sold after 2035 should also be relaxed, so that they comply with a 90% tailpipe emissions reduction target instead, rather than 100%.
The remaining 10% emissions could be compensated through the use of low carbon steel, or from efuels and biofuels.
The plans could prompt the UK to follow suit; earlier this month software specialist FleetCheck said the EC measures would pile pressure on the government to fall into line.
Logistics UK said the proposals recognised that the transition to lower-emission vehicles needed to be pragmatic and grounded in operational reality.
Lamech Solomon, head of decarbonisation policy at Logistics UK, said: “Decarbonising road transport is essential, but it must be delivered in a way that is fair and affordable for businesses, particularly those operating commercial fleets that depend on vehicle availability, payload, range and uptime.
“Amending the targets will provide EU manufacturers and operators with more flexibility, which is essential when infrastructure and technology are not yet fully developed to meet the operational needs of the commercial vehicle sector.
“In an industry that operates on slim margins, the transition to lower-emission transport must be pragmatic, fair and affordable. There is already a growing gap between decarbonisation targets and industry readiness, particularly from smaller operators, and while electrification will be central to decarbonising road freight, there are multiple decarbonisation pathways.”
Solomon said recent Logistics UK research identified a lack of confidence in the sector regarding charging infrastructure and that 80% of respondents disagreed that they could install chargers with sufficient power supply at their depots.
“The pace of transition must align with the real-world readiness of technology and infrastructure,” he added.
“Where these are not yet in place, flexibility is essential to avoid unintended impacts on costs, resilience and productivity.”
Chris Ashley, RHA senior policy lead, said: “Our sector needs certainty to invest in decarbonisation so the framework to support that transition must be coherent and realistic.
“With reports that the government will be consulting shortly on its regulatory options on HGV decarbonisation we will assess what additional support is needed to address the infrastructural and financial barriers operators face to introduce zero-emission vehicles viably into their fleets.”
Green transport group Transport & Environment said reversing the EU’s phase-out of combustion engine sales sent a confusing signal to vehicle manufacturers and consumers and would divert investment away from EVs at a time when the automotive sector urgently needed to catch up with Chinese EV makers.
