EU truckmakers seek 3-year delay to 2030 CO2 targets

Europe's seven largest truck and bus manufacturers called on the European Union on Monday to postpone compliance with 2030 CO2 reduction targets by three years, warning that inadequate charging infrastructure and high energy costs have made zero-emission vehicles unviable for most buyers.

Industry Says Targets Are Out of Reach

Under current EU rules, manufacturers must cut CO2 emissions from new heavy-duty vehicles by 43% by 2030 compared to 2025 levels, with steeper reductions of 64% by 2035 and 90% by 2040. Companies that fall short face financial penalties.reuters+1

But only 2.4% of new heavy-duty vehicles sold in the bloc are currently zero-emission — far below the trajectory needed to meet the 2030 mandate, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). The CEOs of DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Iveco, Scania, and three other leading manufacturers issued a joint statement arguing that "responsibility and control are clearly misaligned," as manufacturers face penalties for targets they say depend on conditions beyond their control.acea+1

ACEA said policymakers must accelerate the rollout of charging stations, speed up electrical grid connections, expand CO2-based road tolls, and reinvest revenue from emissions trading into infrastructure and zero-emission vehicle adoption.devdiscourse+1

Broader Push to Ease Green Mandates

The call arrives as the EU grapples with mounting industry pressure to soften its green transition policies. EU policymakers are already debating a European Commission proposal to drop the bloc's effective ban on new combustion-engine cars from 2035.reuters

Separately, the European Parliament is considering a proposal that would require member states to direct 75% of revenue from the EU Emissions Trading System toward decarbonising industries covered by the carbon market. The Commission proposed a targeted revision of the ETS in July 2026, including a €30 billion decarbonisation fund called the ETS Investment Booster, to support industrial competitiveness while pursuing the bloc's 2040 climate target. EU lawmakers are expected to vote on the proposed ETS changes in December.ecopolitic+4

What Comes Next

The truckmakers' demand adds another front to an intensifying debate over the pace of Europe's climate agenda. With the 2030 deadline now fewer than four years away and zero-emission truck sales still marginal, the gap between regulatory ambition and market reality is widening. Whether Brussels grants the requested delay or holds firm may set the tone for how the EU enforces its broader decarbonisation commitments across heavy industry.