A European industrial body has warned that the road freight sector in the EU has slim chances of achieving its zero-emission goals, given the current very limited reliance on electric trucks for transporting goods within member states. The authority stated that the current reality does not reflect the stated environmental ambitions, raising concerns about the sector's ability to meet its climate commitments. Christian Levin, Chairman of the Commercial Vehicles Board at the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, described the current situation as 'highly dangerous,' pointing to the wide gap between the announced targets and the actual capacity to achieve them. He explained that the EU's operating truck fleet consists of about six million trucks transporting goods across different countries, yet the number of electric trucks does not exceed 10,000 and is often limited to short distances. Representatives of the commercial sector called for a comprehensive market audit, similar to the review the European Commission is conducting for the automotive sector, with expectations that some targets related to electric cars may be relaxed following an upcoming meeting in Strasbourg. Levin confirmed that transport fleet managers face significant financial burdens, as the cost of a 40-tonne, two-axle electric truck is around 300,000 euros, nearly double the cost of a traditional diesel truck. Levin outlined the main reason for the reluctance to adopt electric trucks: higher operating costs compared to conventional vehicles, limited operational flexibility, and increased risk levels, particularly concerning future resale value. He also expressed concerns about potential changes in transport routes, where drivers might be forced to use alternative roads lacking suitable charging infrastructure. Levin warned that if the current rate of adoption for electric trucks continues, the sector could face annual penalties of up to two billion euros. Meanwhile, Daimler Truck's Board Chair, Karen Radstroem, stated that transport companies show a preliminary readiness to transition to electric trucks, but operate with narrow profit margins of 2-3%. She confirmed that this transition will not be economically viable unless achieving zero-emission targets becomes financially more attractive than traditional options. Under current EU targets, 43% of heavy-duty trucks in Europe are expected to be electric by 2030, 65% by 2035, and 90% by 2040. These policies also impose financial penalties on manufacturers that fail to meet their fleet-level CO2 reduction targets, yet the reality is that the share of new heavy-duty electric trucks registered is no more than 2%. Radstroem clarified that there are currently only about 1,500 public heavy-duty truck charging points in Europe, whereas a full transition to electric trucks requires at least 3,500 charging points, equivalent to installing around 500 new points monthly. She added that in her 14 months as CEO of Daimler Truck, only about 500 electric trucks have been produced, which clearly reflects the scale of the challenge and the urgent need to accelerate production and infrastructure development. In turn, the Director-General of the European Association of Electrical Industries, Sigrid de Vries, called on the European Commission to urgently review the current targets to achieve greater alignment between the still-unprepared real-world conditions and the sector's obligations, including financial penalties for non-compliance.
