European fleet operators urge EU Commission not to weaken truck emissions policy

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Changes rarely occur due to exaggerated social concerns, although that may have been the case with the DDT and Freon bans. Most often, the change occurs out of self-interest, which usually involves saving money. As Europe suffers from skyrocketing diesel fuel prices, several of its most prominent corporations, including IKEA, EDF, Geopost and DFDS, have called on the European Commission to stay the course and not weaken heavy truck emissions standards as truck manufacturers demand.

For those of you who don’t live in Europe, IKEA is the global Swedish home furnishings company. EDF is a French multinational electrical services company with operations in many European countries. Geopost is owned by the French postal service and operates the largest package delivery service on the continent. DEDS, headquartered in Copenhagen, is one of the largest logistics providers in Northern Europe.

All of those corporations are part of the Climate Group’s EV100, a business coalition that says, “Our members are on a journey to fully electrify their corporate fleets…By accelerating the shift to electric vehicles (EVs), they increase sales and lower prices, making EVs rapidly more affordable and accessible to everyone.”

In a letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen dated October 1, 2026, EV100 members urged the commission to keep existing tailpipe emissions standards for commercial vehicles in force. They claimed that doing so will boost demand for electric trucks, which in turn will unlock more investment in the sector. In his opinion, the main concern is to expand the charging infrastructure for heavy trucks in Europe.

Currently, the rules call for a 43 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2019 levels by 2030, a 64 percent reduction by 2035, and a 90 percent reduction by 2040. It should be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer that those goals cannot be met without a significant increase in the number of medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks on European roads.

Electric vs Diesel Cost Analysis

The EV100 member did the math and determined that electric trucks will save them enough money in fuel costs to more than offset the higher upfront cost of the vehicles. EDF’s Marion Labatut said in a statement: “Companies are already taking steps to electrify their heavy vehicle fleets, and EDF is helping them make this possible, while energy systems are investing in the infrastructure to support them. We are seeing steady progress in heavy vehicles and maintaining ambitious and stable CO2 standards will give companies the confidence to continue investing at scale, while helping to ensure Europe remains competitive in the transition to zero-emission freight transport.”

Companies value predictability almost as much as they value profits. “Make the rules, stick to them, and then get out of the way. Don’t ask us to change horses mid-ride,” is the message from EV100 members. Dominic Phinn, head of transport at Climate Group, summed it up best:

“Demand for zero-emission trucks is strong and growing every day. Companies, including EV100 members, have made significant investments in electric fleets on the understanding that Europe would provide a stable and ambitious regulatory framework for the transition. What companies need now is certainty, not a weakening of the rules underpinning investment decisions.

“Europe has established itself as a global leader in the shift towards zero-emission transport and should build on this momentum by maintaining ambitious CO₂ standards for heavy vehicles and ensuring the necessary infrastructure and incentives to support the market. Doing so will not only allow fleets to continue leading this transition, but will strengthen European competitiveness, improve energy security and generate substantial climate benefits.”

Manufacturers ask for more time

There appears to be a disconnect between truck manufacturers and their customers. At the IAA Transportation show in Hannover, Germany, last month, executives from DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ford Otosan, Iveco Group, MAN Truck & Bus, Scania Group and Volvo Group warned that Europe’s shift toward zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles is being held back by an “alarming delay” in the conditions needed to drive market acceptance. They called for a three-year delay in the 2030 carbon dioxide emissions target.

Today, electric heavy trucks have only a 2.4 percent market share in Europe, but in major truck markets such as Poland, Spain and Italy, the share is less than 1 percent. The highest percentage is recorded in Germany, with 4.3 percent, while in France sales represent 2.4 percent of the market. Manufacturers argue that significant improvements to charging infrastructure, a reduction in carbon dioxide-based tolls and a coherent policy framework are urgently needed.

Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, said: “We are fully committed to sustainable transport. Investments have been made and a wide range of CO2-free vehicles are available today. But making them commercially viable at scale also depends on a broader ecosystem that is clearly behind and still not developing fast enough. This means two things: quickly doubling the enabling conditions and the EU pushing back the 2030 compliance timeline by three years, to avoid sanctions on manufacturers”. These sanctions could exceed 2,000 million euros, they warned.

The process of connecting megawatt charging equipment to the grid can take several years, delaying implementation even when operators and infrastructure providers are willing to invest. In addition, manufacturers said the EU Commission has been slow to adapt changes to weight and dimension rules that are necessary to address the payload disadvantage of zero-emission trucks, which weigh more than conventional trucks.

A tug of war

This is a classic tug of war between special interest groups. EV100 supporters want more electric trucks, but are they willing to pony up money to improve the commercial charging network? Manufacturers complain that current standards go too far, too fast. Achieve a 43 percent reduction in carbon dioxide levels by 2030 does It seems to be a great question. However, manufacturers could have more credibility if they did not simultaneously oppose stricter emissions standards for medium and heavy trucks in the United States, especially in California.

As regular reader Are Hansen recently noted, some 25,000 people died this summer in Europe as a result of extreme heat. Do your families have a say in this debate? Migration has become a flashpoint in many countries, but we too often overlook the fact that one of the main reasons people migrate is to escape the heat and droughts caused by an overheating planet.

If you were a member of the European Commission, how would you resolve this fight between truck manufacturers and buyers? We look forward to hearing what you have to say in the comments.