The European Commission has layed out its long-awaited proposals to cut CO2 emissions of heavy duty commercial vehicles. The Commission has put forward emissions standards which will see the manufacturers reducing the CO2 emissions of their trucks (compared to 2019 levels) on a sliding scale. The first deadline is 2030, when a 45% emissions reduction will be mandated, rising to 65%in 2035 and 90% in 2040. The draft regulations stop short of a complete ban on fossil-fueled vehicles, with a number of exemptions permitted and a concession that there remains uncertainty about when zero-emission technologies will be available for all trucks.
,We’re still working through the detail of the draft regulation and will post further updates as the dust settles on the deal. For instance, the draft falls short of setting vehicle targets for a number of zero carbon trucks on the road and instead talks about average CO2 emissions. It is unclear how the CO2 emissions will be calculated in any meaningful way. The draft refers to a “well-established system already being in place” with regard to previous regulations, though we’re not sure which system it refers to. EU Member States and manufacturers annually report the CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of newly registered heavy-duty vehicles to the Commission, though using those as a basis to calculate and measure against the average CO2 emission targets would be very complicated.
Quite where it leaves the UK’s proposed end of sale dates for CO2 emitting vehicles, remains another moot point.
More to follow…
