The EU Commission proposed on Tuesday that new trucks and buses in the EU should emit significantly less climate-damaging CO2. In concrete terms, the plans provide for a reduction of 90 percent by 2040 compared to 2019. “In 2050, almost all vehicles on our roads must be emission-free,” said climate commissioner Frans Timmermans.
Because by 2050 the EU wants to become climate neutral – ie only emit CO2 that can also be bound again. As interim targets, the Commission proposes to reduce CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles by 45 percent by 2030 and by 65 percent by 2035.
discussion at the beginning
In 2019, the EU agreed for the first time that it would become mandatory to specify how much CO2 heavy-duty vehicles are allowed to generate. An agreement was then reached on a reduction of 30 percent in 2030. The EU countries and the European Parliament must now discuss the proposal and find a compromise.
“With the proposals for the CO2 emission standards for heavy commercial vehicles, the combustion engine escapes its final burial,” said conservative German politician Ulrich Lange (CDU). However, tightening the limit values is technically hardly feasible.
Criticism of the project came directly from the German automotive industry association VDA. Its chairman Hildegard Müller criticized that the Commission’s proposal was very ambitious given the existing charging and hydrogen infrastructure. Without more speed in expanding the infrastructure, the goal will hardly be achievable.
Freighter fears extra costs
The Austrian freighters were only critical of the new Euro 7 emission standard planned by the European Union on Monday. “We fear additional costs,” says Alexander Klacska, chairman of the federal transport division in the Chamber of Commerce (WKO). The EU’s plans provide for a significant reduction in the permitted nitrogen oxide levels for new vehicles. This regulation will apply to passenger cars from July 2025 and the provisions for buses and trucks in 2027.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
