European Council approves stricter CO2 emission standards
On 13 May, through the adoption of a new regulation, the European Council approved updated CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles, setting emission reduction targets of 45% by 2030, 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040. This regulation now covers almost all new heavy-duty vehicles with certified CO₂ emissions, including smaller trucks and trailers, which will also be subject to these emission reduction targets.
This marks the final step before the amended regulation is published in the Official Journal of the EU, with the law entering into force 20 days after publication. The regulation includes a review clause for 2027 to assess the effectiveness and impact of the amended regulation. The regulation has sparked significant debate. Many industry stakeholders have criticised it as overly simplistic and overly optimistic regarding the number of electric commercial vehicles that will enter the market.
The International Road Transport Union (IRU), for example, considers these targets overly ambitious, given the current economic and infrastructural constraints. It highlights the urgent need to develop charging and refuelling infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles and to support the use of zero-emission fuels to ensure a sustainable transition. ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, believes it is insufficient to regulate only the supply side without addressing demand obstacles. More favourable positions have been expressed by ECTA (European Clean Trucking Alliance) and T&E (Transport & Environment).
GRUBER Logistics is rather sceptical about the real prospects of achieving these targets, considering for instance that in Italy, only 30 electric vehicles were registered in 2023. Nevertheless, GRUBER Logistics shares the views on the need to invest in electric traction and is committed every day to the decarbonisation of heavy transport through investments in electric commercial vehicles.
This commitment is part of a broader vision, which also includes our recent collaboration with Delta Energy to promote alternative fuels such as HVO and Bio-LNG, which are essential for a credible and realistic transition towards low-emission transport.