On 14 February, the European Parliament’s Environmental Committee approved the provisional agreement on CO2 standards for new heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) reached by the Council, European Commission and European Parliament last month.
The deal maintains the CO2 emission reduction targets proposed by the Commission for trucks and coaches: a 45% reduction target for manufacturers by 2030, escalating to 65% as of 2035, before jumping to 90% starting 2040.
Commenting on the EU body’s decision , IRU has once again called the targets “overly idealistic”.
“The compromise text endorsed today by the Parliament’s ENVI committee remains disappointing. In the short and medium term, there are no clear signs that the infrastructure required for such targets will be ready for large scale deployment in urban areas and on the EU’s major road networks,” IRU EU Advocacy Director Raluca Marian said. “The CO2 emission reduction targets remain detached from available energy supply and business realities.”
The European Parliament’s proposal to impose mandatory purchasing targets for zero-emission HDVs on large fleet operators does not feature in the final compromise text, IRU noted. Instead, the Commission has been tasked to report on the potential need and impact of initiatives to increase the share of zero-emission HDVs, including increasing the deployment of zero-emission HDVs owned or leased by large fleet operators.
On the same day, MEPs on the Transport and Tourism Committee voted 26 to 11 to adopt their position on revising road transport weights and dimensions rules.
The proposed changes alter the limits for trucks and buses involved in international road transport and include increasing the maximum weight and length of zero-emission trucks by four tonnes to accommodate battery or hydrogen cells, allowing for additional loading capacity.
TRAN also support cross-border operations using 44 tonne combinations, but the Committee also confirmed the Commission’s proposed 2034 phase out date, after which the 44-tonne cross-border facilitation measure will only apply to operators with zero-emission vehicles.
The IRU has also already reacted to this incentive, stating that as the use of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles is expected to increase, it is unclear how the necessary infrastructure will be deployed. Temporarily allowing vehicle combinations with a maximum authorised weight of 44 tonnes and then banning them from 2035 does not provide legal certainty for the sector.
Therefore, the road transport organisation would prefer to see an evaluation of this provision in 2035 or 2040.
“At that time, the maturity of alternative fuel technologies, infrastructure availability and, most importantly, operators’ ability to invest, could be more accurately assessed,” IRU response reads.
Also, EU countries can still permit mega trucks, which exceed EU limits under specific conditions. In case member states want to add new roads on which mega trucks are allowed, they should make a prior assessment on the impact of this on road safety, infrastructure, modal cooperation and the environment.