Ahead of a series of high-level meetings next week on the future of the automotive industry, Europe’s truck and bus manufacturers have reaffirmed their commitment to the green transition while warning that insufficient enabling conditions threaten to derail progress toward the 2030 climate goals.
The sector, which plays a vital role in Europe’s economy by supporting daily transport needs for millions of citizens and businesses, has already invested billions of euros in the development of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). However, industry representatives say that without supportive infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, achieving the required growth in ZEV adoption will be challenging.
Under the 2030 CO2 reduction targets, the share of ZEVs in the market is expected to rise from around 3.5% in the first half of 2025 to at least 35% within five years. Manufacturers say critical conditions – such as sufficient grid connections, competitive charging prices, dedicated incentives, and updates to key legislation like the Weights & Dimensions Directive – are lagging behind.
Christian Levin, CEO of Scania Group and Chairperson of the Commercial Vehicle Board at ACEA, stressed the urgency: “We are already delivering the vehicles and offer zero-emission solutions for all transport needs, but most of the essential enabling conditions are not in place today. If all the other pieces don’t fall into place, we will fail. This is not a failure of engineering, it’s a failure of policy.”
Levin also called on the European Commission to accelerate the review of the Heavy-Duty Vehicle (HDV) CO2 Regulation. “This cannot wait until 2027. We need an urgent assessment and monitoring of the most critical enabling conditions for the climate-neutrality transition of heavy-duty road transport. The success of the climate neutrality transition does not depend on vehicle manufacturers alone. Yet we are the only actors exposed to disproportionate non-compliance penalties despite being most ready to deliver.”
The industry looks forward to discussions with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioners Hoekstra, Jørgensen, and others, emphasizing that swift and coordinated policy action is essential to remove existing barriers.
Europe’s truck and bus manufacturers remain steadfast in their efforts to support the climate-neutrality transition but insist that government intervention and alignment are key to ensuring a fair and realistic path forward.
