Countdown to Strong Standards, Improved Air in EU
The European Union (EU) CO2 emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) are in the final stages of revision to become the world’s most ambitious CO2 reduction targets for trucks and buses.
Image credit: Freepik
This month, the EU Council and European Parliament reached a deal that includes:
- CO2 reduction targets for new trucks: 45% by 2030, 65% by 2035, and 90% by 2040
- The inclusion of vocational vehicles, such as garbage trucks and concrete mixers, as of 2035
- Assessment by 2027 of topics such as the full lifecycle CO2 emissions of new HDVs, the role of a carbon correction factor, or HDVs exclusively running on CO2-neutral fuels
This political deal, which will phase out almost all new diesel truck sales by 2040, now needs to be formally endorsed by the EU institutions before going into effect. Belgium, a signatory of the Drive to Zero/Netherlands co-led Global Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (Global MOU), is the current president of the EU Council (until June 2024) and will be responsible for ensuring the final stages are executed.
We hope that this regulation will provide other EU member states with the confidence to join the Global MOU at the International Transport Forum this May in Leipzig, Germany. Signatories benefit from the growing Global MOU community’s knowledge and network, making it easier to comply with these decarbonization targets.
— Sita Holtslag, Europe Director, CALSTART / Drive to Zero
Program Updates
New Year, New Global Implementation Network
Want to electrify your fleet, but don’t know where to start? We can help.
Drive to Zero is working collaboratively with fleet electrification experts around the world to launch a global Implementation Hub Network. Together with FIER, we have launched the proof-of-concept Implementation Hub Netherlands. Start by following this link, completing the registration form, and getting connected to a fleet advisor.
U.S. ZET Deployments Continue to Surge, New CALSTART Report Finds
As of June 2023, more than 17,500 zero-emission trucks (ZETs) have been deployed across the United States, a Global MOU country signatory. Read more about the state of the U.S. ZET market in CALSTART’s latest report.
Charging Up Change: Tell YOUR Story!
Drive to Zero’s Charging Up Change video series is celebrating your successes in decarbonizing transportation. If you’re interested in showcasing your efforts to transform transport for good on the global stage with Drive to Zero, please reach out to Owen MacDonnell at OMacdonnell@calstart.org.
News Updates
As the EU approaches the finish line to enact the world’s strongest policy for decarbonizing transport, Global MOU industry endorsers across Europe have made strides on the infrastructure critical to ensure these targets are achieved:
- Global MOU endorser Milence is joining forces with UTA Edenred and ChargePoint as part of their electric truck charging initiative in Europe; in December, Milence opened its first truck charging park in Europe. Milence is a joint venture between Daimler Truck, the TRATON GROUP, and Volvo Group.
- Fastned, the European fast charging company, is building its first station in Spain, with six more locations planned in the country.
- Global MOU endorser Siemens has acquired Heliox, which is headquartered in the Netherlands and also a Global MOU endorser, to gain a wide-ranging charging portfolio of 40 kilowatts to megawatt charging.
- Global MOU endorsers PSPA and Avere have made a guide to the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) for EU countries, drivers, and operators that details what is expected by when, including requirements related to the charging of heavy-duty vehicles.
Please share new information, potential partners, and innovative practices to achieve our Drive to Zero goals at LinkedIn @Drive to Zero. Please feel free to share this newsletter with others.
– Emily Varnell, Technical Writer, CALSTART
News Digest
