Europe’s truck transition needs the right conditions: short-term flexibility welcome, challenges remain

Europe's transition to zero-emission trucks is entering a critical phase, as increasingly ambitious CO2 targets must be matched by the conditions needed to make the transition viable.

The European Parliament just adopted a targeted amendment to the heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) CO2 Regulation as proposed by the European Commission in the Automotive Package, which was presented on 15 Dec 2025. Council did already approve the Commission's proposal in February.

The speedy adoption of the Commission's proposal by co-legislators is a welcome and important step. The amendment corrects an overly restrictive provision in the current rules by adjusting how emission credits are calculated for the years 2025-2029. Manufacturers will now be able to generate emission credits when their fleet emissions fall below the legal target for until 2029. This provides some additional flexibility and helps smooth the transition towards the significantly more demanding 2030 target. 

However, the amendment is limited in scope. It does not address the broader challenge vehicle manufacturers are facing the transition to zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles. This is because there is a growing gap between increasingly ambitious CO2 targets and the slow progress in key enabling conditions, especially dedicated charging and hydrogen-refuelling infrastructure for HDV remains insufficient. Energy costs and the economic viability for transport operators also continue to limit the pace of the ZEV market uptake.

It is therefore important to accelerate the upcoming review of the HDV CO2 Regulation. The review should assess whether the framework remains aligned with real-world market conditions. It should also examine how to better support the rollout of zero-emission trucks and buses across Europe. Closing the gap between regulatory ambition and enabling conditions will be essential for a successful transition.