EU Climate Rules: Truckmakers Rely on Diesel Tweaks Over Electric Trucks

Highlights

• European truckmakers can meet the EU 2025 emissions target predominantly through diesel efficiency improvements.
• Only 14,000 of 360,000 trucks sold in 2024 were zero-emission models, says report.
• Analysts warn future compliance will require a larger rollout of electric and zero-emission trucks.

Most European truckmakers are on track to meet the EU’s 2025 emissions targets, even though electric trucks make up a very small share of sales.

According to a report from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), heavy-duty vehicles, which are mostly diesel-powered, are responsible for about a quarter of Europe’s road transport emissions.

Under EU regulations, manufacturers must cut the average CO2 emissions of new trucks by 15% by 2025 compared with 2019 levels.

Read More: HMGMA Deploys Hydrogen Trucks for Clean Logistics Operations

Unlike carmakers, truck producers can meet these requirements by making diesel engines more efficient and by using regulatory flexibilities, rather than selling large volumes of zero-emission vehicles.

The ICCT report shows that five major truckmakers — DAF, Scania, MAN, Volvo Trucks, and Renault Trucks — are on course to comply without further adjustments.

Daimler Truck and Iveco are behind but could avoid penalties with relatively modest changes. For instance, Iveco would need to sell around 200 zero-emission trucks and introduce efficiency measures, which experts believe is achievable.

Scania and Volvo Trucks have already reached the 2025 target, largely by improving the emissions performance of internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks. However, analysts caution that such measures have limits.

Also Read: EU Carmakers Push Back Against 2035 Petrol and Diesel Ban

Out of the 360,000 trucks sold in Europe last year, only 14,000 were zero-emission models, far fewer than the millions of electric cars now on the road.

Experts warn that in the long term, truckmakers cannot rely on tweaking diesel technology alone. Larger numbers of zero-emission trucks will need to enter the market.

This week, truck industry leaders are meeting with EU commissioners to discuss the next steps for electrification, followed by a meeting between car executives and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the planned 2035 phase-out of combustion-engine cars.

Ends/

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Source: Reuters