The challenge
Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) are responsible for 27% of climate emissions from road transport in Europe, while only accounting for 2% of the vehicles on the road. Trucks and buses have a bigger climate impact than all flights within the EU and would be the 6th largest emitter if they were an EU country. Equipped with diesel engines, they increase global warming and pollute the air, causing serious diseases and premature deaths.
If no action is taken, these emissions will continue to grow. The European Commission expects truck activity in the EU to further increase by 40% between 2019 and 2050, while activity from buses and coaches would grow by 10% over the same period.
To address this, the European Union is proposing targets for truck and busmakers to cut CO2 emissions from new sales by 45% by 2030 and 90% by 2040. They can do this by increasing the share of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) sold, including battery electric (BEVs), fuel cell electric (FCEVs) and hydrogen combustion vehicles.
A climate reduction target of -90% might seem close to full decarbonisation at first sight. But due to a number of shortcomings, the proposal would only reduce emissions from HDVs by 56% by 2050. This falls far short of the EU’s climate ambitions and seriously undermines Europe’s chance to retain its industrial leadership of the sector.
Winning the race
The European Union must cut CO2 emissions of new trucks by 65% by 2030 and 100% by 2035. That’s what it will take for Europe’s truckmakers to win the global competition to reach zero emissions. It’s also necessary for the EU to get the last polluting trucks off its roads by 2050. Trucks are driven for 20 years on average.
This is the YOUR HEAVY DUTY campaign. We want to raise awareness of the major role trucks play in decarbonising our road transport sector. The aim is to show the European Parliament and EU countries why they should vote for higher CO2 standards for truckmakers. Everyone will benefit. Hauliers and freight buyers can accelerate the transition by shifting to zero-emission trucks in their fleets. Drivers and workers will benefit from safer and healthier equipment to work with. Citizens will breathe cleaner air.
Let’s raise our voices and fight together for a better world
Join citizens across Europe in demanding responsible action towards reducing transport emissions by sharing our promotional materials and tagging your EU representatives.
It’s Your Heavy Duty!
