The European Parliament and Council today agreed on the Commission¡¯s CO? emission targets for heavy-duty vehicles.
Europe¡¯s co-negotiators today reached a provisional political agreement on CO? emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs).
They have agreed to maintain the unrealistic emission reduction targets proposed by the Commission for trucks and coaches: 45% emission reduction target for manufacturers by 2030, escalating to 65% as of 2035, before jumping to 90% starting 2040.
For zero-emission urban buses, the provisional agreement sets a lower intermediate 90% target for 2030.
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½EU Advocacy Director Raluca Marian said, ¡°The European Parliament and Council¡¯s agreement is disappointing. Despite the industry and numerous Members of the European Parliament calling for a feasible decarbonisation path, the co-negotiators have given the green light to idealistic targets detached from available energy supply and on-the-ground business reality.¡±
¡°There are no signs, in the short and medium term, that infrastructure for such extreme zero-emission HDV targets will be ready for large scale deployment in urban areas and on major EU road networks,¡± she added.
The EU¡¯s logistics sector also needs options to suit their operational needs post-2040, a 10% market share for internal combustion engines does not leave enough space for carbon-neutral fuels which could, if given the chance, be a long-term solution for sustainable HDV transport.
On a positive note, the agreement groups intercity buses with coaches instead of urban buses, subjecting them to more realistic targets.
The co-legislators also agreed on setting an earlier review clause (2027 instead of 2028).
¡°We are glad to see that the review clause has been made more comprehensive by detailing elements of the review, such as the possibility of a full life cycle assessment, the possible role of a carbon correction factor, and the role of a methodology for registering HDVs exclusively running on CO?-neutral fuels,¡± highlighted Raluca Marian.
The next step is approval by the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Council.