EU President Juncker is proposing to cut truck emissions by 15% within seven years
The Juncker Commission is putting forward the first ever CO2 emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles to reduce air pollution across the EU.
Trucks, which represent 5% of all road vehicles, are not currently subject to fuel efficiency standards, despite accounting for 22% of vehicle emissions.
This latest proposal forms part of the third, and final instalment of the EU’s ‘Europe on the Move’ work, a set of dedicated actions designed to modernise transportation within Europe. The body of measures sets a goal for the EU and its industries to become a world leader in innovation, digitisation and decarbonisation.
According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, lower emission trucks use less fuel which makes them cheaper for hauliers to operate. They state that if manufacturers were obliged to consistently use existing technology, a lorry could be 27% more efficient, saving €7,700 per truck annually.
The proposals also offer incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce zero-emission vehicles.
The next stage for these proposals will require approval from the European Parliament and national governments.
The BVRLA has already been working extensively to ensure the upcoming Clean Air Zones in the UK work for HGV-reliant businesses and reduce air pollution effectively.
Further information is available on the European Commission website.
You can access the association’s Air Quality Position Paper on the BVRLA website.
