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ACEA is calling for a weaker van CO2 target in 2030 and 5-year averaging for the period 2025–29 and 2030–34, among many other flexibilities. This would spell disaster for the zero-emission van market.
What’s more, many challenges to electrification used as pretexts to call for weaker standards are already being addressed, and will be resolved by 2030.
For those reasons, T&E calls on the European Commission to safeguard the -50% CO2 target in 2030 and restrict averaging to 2025–27, a flexibility which was already granted to vanmakers earlier this year.
Industry proposal would do long-term damage to e-van uptake
Under ACEA’s proposed weakening, only 28% of new vans could be electric in 2030, instead of 52% under current CO2 standards. This would cut the expected e-van uptake in 2030 by nearly half.
This analysis only includes reverting to the old -31% CO2 target in 2030 (ACEA calls for a 30–35% CO2 reduction target) and 5-year averaging in 2025–29 and 2030–34. Other flexibilities which ACEA asks for are ignored, such as supercredits or double-counting the CO2 savings achieved through the Renewable Energy Directive.
Looking at cumulative sales, ACEA’s proposal could slash the number of e-vans on the road by 30% in 2030. By 2035, one in four e-vans would be missing if both the 5-year averaging and a lower CO2 target is implemented. If only the 5-year averaging were implemented, one in ten e-vans would still be missing on EU roads.
This would lead to an increase in CO2 emissions, air pollution, and overall costs, as by then electric vans are expected to be cheaper to own and run than diesel vans, as found in several studies. Drops in battery prices will continue to lead to lower prices for e-vans and increased driving range.
Taking the additional impact of other flexibilities, such as mass adjustment, or further efficiency improvements to diesel vans into account, van makers would need to sell even fewer e-vans to comply with the standards.
Europe is already simplifying its requirements for e-vans
Under the current van CO2 standards, electric vans are allowed to weigh more to compensate for the added battery weight without compromising payload.
However, they are then registered as N2 vehicles and are thus subject to additional regulatory requirements: a driving licence for large goods vehicles, tachographs to monitor on-board driving periods, and speed limiters.
The Commission has already recognised that these additional regulatory burdens pose a legitimate obstacle to van electrification. As a result, the new Driving Licence Directive allows driving electric vans up to 4.25 t with a normal B licence, and the Automotive Omnibus will include provisions to exempt electric vans up to 4.25 t from tachograph and speed limiter requirements. In all likelihood, those barriers will be lifted long before 2030.
Yes, commercial vehicles can and are going electric
It is often assumed that vans are naturally harder to electrify than passenger cars as they are commercial vehicles. But other, heavier commercial vehicles are going electric just fine.
Looking at trucks between 3.5 and 7.5 t, which currently fall outside the scope of both the light-duty and heavy-duty CO2 standards, a quarter of new sales were electric in H1 2025. Specifically, over half of small trucks below 5 t, and one in ten trucks between 5 and 7.5t. This shows that commercial fleets driven by operational and economic considerations are willing to electrify.
How to boost e-van uptake
Safeguarding the ambition of the van CO2 standards is crucial to drive e-van uptake. This will ensure vanmakers continue to offer a diverse array of electric models, bring down vehicle prices, and improve driving range. Weakening the CO2 standards now would leave the European e-van market up for grabs. Both Maxus and Farizon have already declared their intention of gaining 5% of the van market each thanks to their e-van offerings.
Fiscality can also be tailored to improve the economics of electric vans until they achieve vehicle price parity. Member States can provide subsidies and incentives for zero-emission vehicles while phasing out support for polluting diesel vehicles. The van market is dominated by private registrations and very small fleets with fewer than 10 vans, which together account for 60% of new registrations. Better fiscal rules are needed to help price-sensitive buyers shift to zero-emission vans.
The Clean Corporate Fleets proposal should also set targets for the electrification of large vans fleets, which can help boost demand and bring economies of scale in early years. At the local level, zero-emission freight zones can also accelerate e-van uptake in urban areas, as is the case in the Netherlands.
Policymakers must also work to solve the lack of cheap, home charging for many van drivers. Member States must implement a clear and simple right to plug, for both homeowners and tenants who live in collective housing. For van drivers who park on the kerb at night, innovative solutions may be necessary depending on local context. For example, SMEs may benefit from preferential rates when charging slowly overnight at public chargers, or cities may facilitate the deployment of charging infrastructure at micro-hubs.
In conclusion, comprehensive policy action is necessary to accelerate e-van uptake. Weaker van CO2 standards will only foster uncertainty and put European competitiveness at risk.
