The CEOs of seven leading European truck and bus manufacturers have called on European and national policymakers to accelerate the development of infrastructure and market conditions needed to support the adoption of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles.
Speaking jointly at IAA Transportation in Hanover, the industry leaders warned that the conditions required for transport operators to adopt and operate zero-emission vehicles competitively are at least three years behind the pace required to meet the European Union’s 2030 CO2 reduction targets.
The manufacturers said they remain committed to the EU’s emissions-reduction targets and have invested significantly in developing zero-emission vehicles across major heavy-duty transport applications. However, they highlighted slow market uptake and uneven adoption across European markets as key concerns.
Zero-Emission Truck Uptake Remains Low
Zero-emission vehicles currently account for only 2.4% of new heavy-duty truck registrations in Europe. In major markets such as Poland, Spain and Italy, the share remains below 1%.
Germany and France, Europe’s two largest truck markets, have recorded zero-emission shares of 4.3% and 2.4%, respectively.
With 45 months remaining before the 2030 CO2 targets apply, manufacturers said the gap between current market adoption and the required pace of transition remains substantial.
The CEOs stressed that wider market conditions, including charging infrastructure, grid access, energy costs, CO2-based road tolls and supportive policy frameworks, will be critical to making zero-emission trucks economically viable for transport operators.
Manufacturers Call for Three-Year Extension
Karin Rådström, President and CEO of Daimler Truck and Chair of ACEA’s Commercial Vehicle Board, said manufacturers have already made significant investments and have a broad range of CO2-free vehicles available.
She called for faster development of the enabling ecosystem and urged the EU to delay the 2030 compliance timeline by three years to prevent manufacturers from facing penalties if market conditions remain insufficient.
The manufacturers argued that responsibility for achieving the CO2 targets extends beyond vehicle makers, as many factors determining fleet adoption are controlled by governments, infrastructure providers, energy companies and other stakeholders across the wider value chain.
Industry Warns Against Penalties Without Market Readiness
The manufacturers warned that imposing financial penalties for non-compliance while zero-emission vehicle uptake remains low would not necessarily accelerate the transition.
According to the industry, such penalties could instead divert billions of euros away from investments in zero-emission technologies and production capacity, while weakening European manufacturers amid increasing global competition.
The CEOs called on policymakers to urgently accelerate investment in charging and grid infrastructure, improve the economics of zero-emission transport and establish a coherent policy framework to support market adoption.
They reiterated that the industry remains committed to sustainable heavy-duty transport but said the wider ecosystem must develop faster to enable the transition at the scale required for the EU’s 2030 climate objectives.
