Electrive — 2026-05-07
Automotive Industry
With the recent publication in the Official Journal of the EU, titled ‘Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 regarding the calculation of emission credits for heavy-duty vehicles for the reporting periods from 2025 to 2029’, the adjustments previously approved by the European Parliament and the EU Council have now come into force.
Under EU law, HGV manufacturers must reduce the CO₂ emissions of new trucks by 15 percent by 2025, 45 per cent by 2030, 65 per cent by 2035, and 90 per cent by 2040 compared to 2019 levels. They are attempting to achieve this by bringing more battery-electric trucks to market and, simultaneously, by improving fuel efficiency in internal combustion engines.
These interim targets remain unchanged. However, the EU is now granting manufacturers greater flexibility between these target years. Instead of requiring a linear annual progression between the target years, this requirement has been removed. As a result, the 2025 target – a 15 percent CO₂ reduction for new registrations – will now apply to the years 2026 to 2029 as well.
For example, if a manufacturer achieves a CO₂ reduction of 22 per cent in 2027, they would have previously fallen short of the linear target line, which would have been around 26 per cent at that point. Under the new rules, however, they can now accumulate credits for exceeding the static 15 per cent target by 7 percentage points until 2029. This allows HGV manufacturers to use all additional CO₂ savings achieved between 2025 and 2029 above the 15 per cent target as credits to offset the 45 per cent reduction required in 2030 and subsequent years, thereby avoiding penalties.
The European Commission justifies the relaxation of CO₂ targets between 2025 and 2029 by pointing to delays in the expansion of public charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles along motorways. This, the Commission argues, explains the alleged reluctance of customers to purchase electric trucks.
ICCT warns of significantly lower electric truck sales
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has criticised the EU’s decision. According to a forecast by the think tank, the changes could result in around 200,000 fewer electric trucks being registered in the EU over the next decade than previously projected – and, consequently, more diesel trucks on the roads. While the market share of electric trucks in new registrations was previously expected to reach 32 percent by 2030, this figure could now drop to just 16 percent within four years due to the new mechanism. Furthermore, as credits can be carried over into years beyond 2030, the ICCT anticipates a lasting impact, with lower electric truck shares in new registrations even by 2035.
“Such a walk back in ambition is concerning as it falls at a time that we see diesel prices soaring to new highs across the continent. Having fewer ZE trucks to choose from locks in our continued oil dependence,” said Eamonn Mulholland, HGV expert at the ICCT.