Following the agreement of the EU institutions on carbon limits for trucks, manufacturers’ associations see little chance of implementation, as they lack the necessary infrastructure and demand.
Now it is official. The European Union wants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions of new trucks and buses. By the year 2025, emissions should fall by 15 percent. By 2030, it will be 30 percent. Basis is the year 2019, as decided by the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council. Whether this will ultimately suffice to make up for the previously omitted political direction statements remains to be doubted.
Goals for more clean air too demanding
Despite all necessity, the commercial vehicle industry remains stubbornly in position. In response, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has a very ambitious goal and at the same time seeks to return the “buck” to the Member States. “We can now only urge countries to step up their efforts to create an infrastructure for refueling and recharging trucks with alternative fuels. Because to achieve these goals, trucks with alternative fuels have to be mass-marketed,” said ACEA General Secretary Erik Jonnaert. However, this is still largely doubted by the association. Because Jonnaert is convinced that the demand in the introduction of the system has found no consideration. “We can not expect hauliers to buy electric trucks or alternatively-powered trucks all at once unless there is a business model,” says Jonnaert.
States must provide infrastructure
In addition, in its opinion, the association neglects the free market economy in many areas and even calls for massive intervention by states, demanding that policy-makers ensure that zero-emission trucks to be produced by manufacturers can actually the be bought and operated by customers. A reaction that is a bit surprising in this unambiguousness.
The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) also agrees with the opinion of the ACEA. For VDA President Bernhard Mattes, the goals go beyond the target. The criticism is versatile. On the one hand, they do not pay enough attention to technical and economic reality. On the other hand, the rules for the inclusion of particularly environmentally friendly vehicles are insufficient. And Mattes emphasizes once again that an infrastructure for the use of trucks with alternative energies is missing. Yet, there is still a little time left until 2025.
