Switzerland will introduce a toll for electric trucks in 2031 – initially with a discount
Switzerland will end complete exemption from the LSVA toll for zero-emission trucks starting in 2031. Electric and hydrogen trucks will then be gradually integrated into the toll system, but will initially receive significant discounts. Both chambers of Switzerland’s parliament have now finally approved the reform.
Electric trucks from Swiss freight company Hugelshofer (illustrative image)
Image: Hugelshofer
Switzerland has one of the highest nationwide truck toll rates in Europe, and it is now reforming this heavy vehicle tax. The National Council and the Council of States approved the reform of the Heavy Vehicle Tax Act in a final vote on October 2. This marks the completion of parliamentary deliberations. The Performance-Based Heavy Vehicle Tax (LSVA) is a toll that generally applies to goods transport vehicles with a permissible total weight of over 3.5 tons. There is a special provision for zero-emission vans: if their total weight, including the additional weight from the zero-emission drive system, is at most 4.25 tons, they are exempt from the LSVA.
The LSVA must be paid to use the entire Swiss road network. Therefore, the toll applies not only on highways but also on regular main roads and side roads. The amount of LSVA depends, among other things, on the distance traveled, the permitted total weight, and the emission class.
Full exemption from the LSVA fee remains in place for battery-electric trucks as well as hydrogen-powered trucks until the end of 2030. However, starting in 2031, these vehicles will also be subject to fees. This marks the end of an important indirect financial support for companies in transitioning their fleets to zero-emission commercial vehicles. The high toll rate is considered a key factor behind the very high proportion of electric trucks among new registrations, especially in Switzerland. In the first half of the year, this figure was 26 percent (for trucks with a gross weight of 16 tons or more), which is the highest rate in Europe.
As electric trucks are gradually integrated into the toll system, Switzerland adheres to the principle of not permanently linking the LSVA to a specific energy source. During the parliamentary process, it was explicitly noted that charging fees based on the type of propulsion or fuel would be administratively complex. It is also clear, of course, that revenue from the LSVA would continue to decline without contributions from electric trucks.
Discounts Gradually Decrease by 2035
At the same time, Switzerland does not immediately raise the financial burden on zero-emission trucks to regular levels. A 70 percent discount is planned for 2031, followed by 50 percent in 2032. After that, the discount decreases annually to 30 percent in 2033, 20 percent in 2034, and 10 percent in 2035. Starting in 2036, the discount will be completely eliminated.
For the transportation industry, it is already foreseeable today how a key cost factor will develop after the end of the LSVA exemption. The Swiss commercial vehicle association ASTAG emphasized long-term planning certainty as particularly important. For heavy commercial vehicles with long amortization periods, changes in tolls can significantly affect the profitability of an investment.
By gradually incorporating electric trucks into the LSVA system, Switzerland is taking a middle path, as can be seen from its neighboring countries. In Germany, electric trucks will remain completely exempt from tolls until the end of June 2031; the exemption even applies permanently to electric vehicles under 4.25 tons. Austria, on the other hand, already imposes a distance-based GO toll on electric trucks today, though there is still a 75 percent discount until 2030.
Euro-6 trucks are also being reclassified
The toll reform in Switzerland affects not only zero-emission engines. Today’s most common Euro-6 trucks are set to move from the cheapest to the second-cheapest LSVA category. New vehicles meeting Euro 7 standards will also fall into this category. Discounts are planned for Euro-7 trucks until 2035 to distinguish them from Euro-6 models. The specific details of these tariffs have not yet been fully determined.
An additional change aims to improve planning certainty: any modifications to the assignment of vehicles to LSVA categories must now be announced seven years in advance. For freight forwarders, this means they can factor changes in toll costs into their procurement and amortization decisions much earlier. The regulation was initially controversial during the parliamentary process between the National Council and the Council of States, but it ultimately became part of the compromise.
The Federal Council still needs to specify the tariffs
The final vote has politically approved the reform, but many details remain unresolved. The Federal Council must adjust the implementing regulations, including determining the specific LSVA tariffs and the final classification of different vehicle types into tax categories. Therefore, there is still room for maneuver regarding the specific implementation of Euro 7 as well. The reform will not take effect immediately upon the parliamentary final vote: a deadline for an optional referendum exists first.
