C 349/138
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
29.9.2023
3.7.
Building on the scope of the Fit for 55 package, which covers emissions from all sectors, the Commission proposal for HDV adopts the ‘tank-to-wheel’ methodology, also used in the light-duty vehicles (LDV) Regulation (15), to set the GHG emission reduction targets.
Such a methodology is also referred to as ‘tailpipe’, as it takes into account only the CO2 emitted from the vehicle while in use, whereas GHG emitted during the vehicle manufacturing or during the production of the fuels or energy are covered by other legislations such as the EU Emissions Trading System.
The contribution of renewable and low-carbon fuels for the purpose of target compliance in this specific legislation was discarded, as the Commission deemed it neither cost-efficient nor effective.
4.
General comments 4.1.
The EESC welcomes the objective of this regulation to accelerate the pace of decarbonisation in the sector and to boost its structural transformation.
The European transport industry needs to renew its road transport fleet, through the gradual adoption of new powertrain technologies (electric/hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen ICE).
The EU should seize the opportunity to become a leader in the clean-transport industry.
Developments indicate that the mentioned technologies provide a viable and cost-efficient path for standard use in short-, medium- and (gradually) long-haul trucking.
4.2.
The EESC notes that the proposal goes beyond the currently proposed targets in China, but falls short of the recently adopted Regulation in California.
In June 2022, China announced a proposal (‘Stage 4’) estimated to tighten fuel consumption standards in the heavy-duty sector by 15 % by 2026 as a general target across all vehicle segments, to replace its previous ‘Stage 3’, implemented in 2019.
U.S. ‘Phase 2’ standards adopted in 2016 and applicable for 2018–2027 are estimated to reduce CO2 and fuel consumption that vary by vehicle type and range from 16 % to 30 % compared to its 2010 baseline.
California, whose emission standards are commonly followed by other U.S. states, has recently adopted legislation for a 100 % zero-emission sales target for trucks and buses by 2036, allowing only battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
The U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization (16) additionally assigns a complementary role to ‘clean electricity, sustainable biofuels/e-fuels, and clean hydrogen’ for transport in general and for heavy-duty road transport in particular.
4.3.
The EESC observes that the proposed regulation will not be the only regulatory framework that the sector will encounter.
While a number of Member States, alongside other countries (including the United States), have already pledged to transition to 100 % zero-emission HDV sales by 2040 (17), various regulations at local and regional levels are to be expected (e.g. entry bans).
While the latter will mostly not aim to achieve climate action, they will have an impact on the operation and profitability of non-ZEVs, and on the functioning of the single market.
4.4.
The EESC acknowledges the importance of a regulatory stimulus as a supply-side policy measure to foster investments in ZEV technologies and the deployment of ZEVs, eventually contributing, together with carbon-neural fuels, to fully decarbonising the HDV fleet.
However, the EESC believes that a focus must also be given to the demand side and to the key enabling conditions that make operating ZEVs a viable option for logistic operators.
4.4.1.
According the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), the proposal would require a significantly increased number of zero-emission vehicles on the road at least two years earlier than currently anticipated.
Specifically, the newly proposed target would require more than 400 000 zero-emission vehicles to be in operation within less than seven years, and close to 100 000 to be registered annually from 2030, meaning that more than one third of all
(15) (16) (17)
Regulation (EU) 2019/631 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 443/2009 and (EU) No 510/2011 (OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 13).
DOE/EE-2675 | January 2023.
COP27: USA, Ukraine, Ireland, Aruba, Belgium, Croatia, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Liechtenstein, Lithuania sign Global MOU, support path to 100% new truck and bus sales by 2040 (17.11.22).
U.S. Secretary of Energy Advances America's Commitment to Reaching Net Zero Global Emissions and Combatting Climate Change at COP27.