Europe's commercial vehicle manufacturers have delivered. But despite a growing number of emission-free trucks, the transition in heavy-duty transport lags clearly behind the targets of the European Union. This is noted by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association ACEA in its current report on the status of the framework conditions for heavy vehicles.
Slow growth despite greater model variety
According to the association's figures, European manufacturers now have a broad range of emission-free vehicles for almost all applications—from urban distribution to long-haul. Market development, however, is sluggish. In the first half of 2025, the share of emission-free medium- and heavy-duty trucks in new registrations in the EU was only 3.6 percent. The year before it was 2.1 percent.
Almost four out of five of these vehicles were registered, according to ACEA, in only five countries: Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and France. Thus, sales concentrate on markets with comparatively favorable framework conditions. Switzerland and Norway, both not EU members, show that it can be done differently. There, incentives
and the charging infrastructure are more advanced, which is reflected in higher registration numbers.
Lack of infrastructure slows the ramp-up
To meet Europe’s climate targets, the report states, around 400,000 emission-free trucks would have to be on Europe's roads by 2030. That means: every third new heavy-duty vehicle would have to be electric or hydrogen-powered by then. The market is currently far from that—not least because the necessary charging and fueling infrastructure is barely in place.
ACEA estimates the number of currently available public charging points suitable for heavy trucks at around 1,100, with a power of 350 kilowatts or more. For nationwide coverage by the end of the decade, about 50,000 such charging points would be required, of which 35,000 would use the high-power Megawatt Charging System technology. Additionally, at least 700 hydrogen refueling stations with a capacity of 6 tons per day would have to be established.
Although many charging operations today take place on operating depots, for long-haul transport public and semi-public charging points
are indispensable, the association emphasizes. Without them, the switch to emission-free powertrains in European freight transport cannot succeed.
Economic viability remains a hurdle
In addition to infrastructure, the economics of the new drive systems are among the central challenges. Manufacturers do offer vehicles that do not emit pollutants in operation, but in many European markets these models are still more expensive than conventional diesel trucks, ACEA says.
Since many heavy-haul operators work with razor-thin margins, the shift depends heavily on political and financial framework conditions.
“Without robust business cases in all segments, fleet operators will have difficulty switching,” the report says.
Policy measures such as CO2-differentiated tolling systems, tax incentives and the planned Emissions Trading System ETS 2 could close the cost gap, but in many places they have not yet been implemented or are not sufficiently effective.
Lack of political policy direction
The association also sees a need for improvement in European regulation. Several central political dossiers — for example the Directive on Weights and Dimensions,
the Energy Taxation Directive and others — show, according to ACEA, too little progress so far. These delays are further hindering the market acceptance of emission-free vehicles.
Overall, the report makes clear that European manufacturers have done their homework. They deliver vehicles for all applications and markets. But the political and infrastructural prerequisites do not keep pace with the industry's tempo. ACEA fears that the EU will miss its 2030 targets if the missing prerequisites are not urgently addressed.
What this means for the transport sector
For companies in road freight transport, the situation remains ambivalent. On the one hand, new technologies are within reach; on the other hand, the framework conditions to use them economically are missing. ACEA's report makes clear that for fleet operators it is not only about acquiring new vehicles, but about planning certainty: reliable energy prices, available charging infrastructure, and clear political guidelines. As long as these factors do not take hold, the decarbonisation of heavy-duty transport remains an ambitious, but still
