Large companies call for adherence to EU CO2 regulations for trucks
Image: Daimler Truck (illustrative)
Major European companies are urging the EU Commission to maintain existing CO2 standards for heavy commercial vehicles. In a letter coordinated by the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, IKEA, EDF, Geopost, and DFDS, along with industry and civil society organizations, are calling for long-term, reliable regulations.
The companies want to increase their investments in electric truck fleets to reduce their reliance on volatile fuel prices. In their view, a relaxation of CO2 regulations would threaten investment certainty. Their current letter is addressed to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Executive Vice Presidents Teresa Ribera and Stéphane Séjourné, as well as the commissioners in charge of transport, climate, and energy.
The signatories demand not only the maintenance of CO2 standards but also an accelerated expansion of charging infrastructure for electric trucks. Additionally, they want grid bottlenecks to be addressed through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) and the European Network Package.
A study by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows that electric trucks are already the most cost-effective option in six of the nine major EU markets. With appropriate political support, this could apply to all nine markets by 2030. IKEA’s transportation manager, Ewelina Taylor, emphasizes the importance of clear and predictable regulations for investing in emission-free transportation solutions. DFDS representative Lidija Peters also calls for regulatory certainty and further development of the necessary infrastructure for manufacturers, operators, and customers.
Marion Labatut, EDF’s head of European policy, points to the ongoing electrification of heavy vehicle fleets and corresponding investments in energy infrastructure. Lucie Mattera, general secretary of ChargeUp Europe, warns that an early review or weakening of CO2 standards could jeopardize existing infrastructure investments.
Dominic Phinn, head of transport at the Climate Group, describes demand for zero-emission trucks as strong and continuing to grow. He believes maintaining ambitious targets along with appropriate infrastructure and incentives could enhance Europe’s competitiveness, improve energy security, and bring significant climate benefits.
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Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with professional experience in the automotive industry and finance sector. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.
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