In a letter to European lawmakers, 41 businesses have called for more ambitious CO2 standards in 2030 and a phase-out date for polluting trucks, reported Transport & Environment.
Greater ambition will lower the costs and accelerate the production of zero emissions trucks, the businesses said, making it easier for these companies to adopt zero-emission trucks and clean up their fleets.
The signatories of the letter are urging MEPs and governments across the EU27 to increase the 2030 CO2 emissions reductions target from 45% to 65%. This would ensure that regulatory ambitions are brought in line with voluntary ambition levels.
The result would see an increase of 150,000 green trucks in Europe in 2030, compared with the European Commission’s current proposal, according to the letter.
The signatory companies are also calling for a clear phase-out date after which 100% of new trucks must be zero emission. With the lifecycle of a truck extending up to 18 years, a clear date needs to be set now to ensure the last polluting vehicles are off the road in time for the EU’s 2050 net-zero emissions target, they said.
All truck types should be subject to climate targets to ensure manufacturers ramp up zero-emission vehicle production across all segments.
The Commission’s proposal exempted some vehicle types including garbage and construction trucks and some urban delivery trucks, which are often easy to electrify and would benefit air quality in cities.
Sophie-Kim Chapman, head of decarbonisation at DFDS, said: “It’s in all of our interests to push for more zero-emission trucks on the road, earlier, and for clear intentions regarding both trucks and infrastructure. This will get us faster to both emissions reductions and to cost parity with diesel, and it enables transport operators like us to plan ahead with more confidence.”
The letter is signed by: A. P. Moller – Maersk A/S, APL logistics, Asstra Forwarding AG, Avere, Boekestijn Transport, Brightmerge, ChargePoint, Council for Sustainable Logistics (CNL), Colruyt, Contargo, Currys, Danfoss, DFDS, DPDHL, European Shippers Council, EV Box, Fixemer Logistics GmbH, Forto, Heineken, HMM Co Ltd, Integre Trans, Knauf Insulation, Kuehne and Nagel, Meyer & Meyer, Nestlé, Nike, Oatly Group, PepsiCo, Polish Chamber of E-mobility Development (PIRE), REE Automotive USA Inc., Samskip Multimodal, Schachinger Logistik, SEA Electric, Stolt Tank Containers BV, University Gustave Eiffel, VAI Capital, van der Wal, Vattenfall, Volta Trucks, Zeus Labs, Zilch Forwarding (formerly Scope3 pty/EmissionsIQ).