The EU is setting ambitious CO₂ fleet targets for the commercial vehicle industry, but has so far failed to create the necessary conditions to achieve them. The Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK) is therefore calling for the review of the CO₂ fleet regulation, scheduled for the end of 2027, to be brought forward. Policymakers must now take corrective action to ensure that realistic targets can be reconciled with the actual framework conditions.
“International manufacturers are offering an attractive range of electric commercial vehicles. It is now up to policymakers to create the conditions necessary for the market to take off,” says VDIK President Imelda Labbé. “Zero-emission commercial vehicles are available in series production across all segments. What is lacking are reliable framework conditions for commercial vehicle customers: predictable running costs over the entire lifespan of the vehicle, an efficient charging infrastructure, sufficient space for charging and parking, and faster approvals for grid connections. As long as these conditions are not in place, investment will not materialise – and achieving the targets will remain a distant prospect. We therefore call for the review planned for the end of 2027 to be brought forward.”
According to an analysis by the VDIK, around a third of all newly registered lorries would need to be zero-emission to meet the current EU fleet targets for 2030. In 2025, the proportion of electric lorries amongst new registrations in the EU stood at just 4.2 per cent. Yet zero-emission commercial vehicles are available as production-ready models in all relevant segments. The crucial question at present is therefore rather whether these vehicles can be operated economically and reliably under real-world conditions. Furthermore, the German market for heavy commercial vehicles shrank by 11.7 per cent last year.
The VDIK is calling for the framework conditions for the roll-out of electric lorries to be improved in the short term. The lack of planning certainty regarding operating costs is a particular cause for concern. The economic viability of zero-emission lorries currently depends largely on the political framework, in particular on the exemption from tolls. This exemption is due to expire in mid-2031; there is as yet no reliable follow-up arrangement in place. As a result, fleet operators are currently having to make investment decisions regarding vehicles whose costs are not politically guaranteed for a significant portion of their service life. And without customers making the decision to purchase, manufacturers cannot meet their fleet targets either, however good their range of vehicles may be.
There is also a significant need for action when it comes to infrastructure. A nationwide charging network for heavy goods vehicles is still lacking: across Germany, only around 355 public charging points for heavy goods vehicles are currently in operation, whilst plans are in place to install around 4,200 charging points at 350 locations by 2030. Megawatt charging, as a key technology for long-distance transport, is still in its infancy. At the same time, there is a shortage of suitable sites for lorry parking bays and charging infrastructure; in Germany alone, there is a shortfall of around 19,600 lorry parking bays. Charging, parking and statutory rest periods must be planned in conjunction with one another. Added to this are lead times of several years for grid connections – both in public spaces and at depots.
The VDIK emphasises: the manufacturers are ready. To ensure that ambitious European climate targets can also be achieved in road freight transport, policymakers must now create the necessary framework conditions.
