Change seldom happens because of some highfalutin social concerns, although that might have been the case for the bans on DDT and Freon. More often, change happens because of self-interest, which usually involves saving money. As Europe suffers due to skyrocketing prices for diesel fuel, several of its most prominent corporations, including IKEA, EDF, Geopost, and DFDS, have petitioned the European Commission to stay the course and not weaken heavy truck emissions standards as demanded by truck manufacturers. For those of you who do not live in Europe, IKEA is the Swedish global home furnishings company. EDF is a French multi–national electric utility company with operations in many European countries. Geopost is owned by France’s postal service, and operates the largest parcel delivery service on the Continent. Headquartered in Copenhagen, DEDS is one of the largest logistics providers for northern Europe. Those corporations are all 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 speeding up the shift to electric vehicles (EVs), they drive up sales, and bring down prices — making EVs rapidly more affordable and accessible for all.” In a letter to EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen dated October 1, 2026, the EV100 members urged the commission to keep the existing exhaust emissions standards for commercial vehicles in effect. They claimed that doing so will boost demand for electric trucks, which in turn will unlock more investments in the sector. Of primary concern, in their estimation, is expanding the charging infrastructure for heavy duty trucks in Europe. At the present time, the rules require 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 targets cannot be met without a significant increase in the number of electric medium and heavy duty trucks on European roads. Electric Vs Diesel Cost Analysis The EV100 member have done the math and determined that electric trucks will save them enough money in fuel costs to more than offset the higher initial cost of the vehicles. Marion Labatut of EDF said in a statement, “Businesses are already taking action to electrify their heavy duty fleets, and EDF is helping them make it possible, while energy systems are investing in the infrastructure to support them. We are seeing a steady progress on HDVs and maintaining ambitious and stable CO2 standards will give companies the confidence to continue investing at scale, while helping ensure Europe remains competitive in the transition to zero-emission freight.” Business values predictability almost as highly as it values profits. “Set the rules, stick to them, and then get out of the way. Don’t ask us to change horses in midstream,” is the message from the EV100 members. Dominic Phinn, the head of transportation at Climate Group, summed it up best: “The demand for zero-emission trucks is strong and growing every day. Businesses, including EV100 members, have made significant investment 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 that underpin investment decisions. “Europe has established itself as a global leader in the shift to zero-emission transport and should build on this momentum by maintaining ambitious HDV CO₂ standards and ensuring the infrastructure and incentives needed to support the market. Doing so will not only allow fleets to continue to lead this transition but will strengthen European competitiveness, enhance energy security and deliver substantial climate benefits.” Manufacturers Plead For More Time There seems 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 to zero-emission heavy duty vehicles is being held back by an “alarming delay” in the conditions needed to drive market uptake. They called for a three year delay in the 2030 carbon dioxide emissions target. Today, electric heavy duty 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 below 1 percent. It is highest in Germany at 4.3 percent, while sales in France are 2.4 percent of the market. Significant improvements to charging infrastructure, a reduction in carbon dioxide based tolls, and a coherent policy framework are urgently needed, the manufacturers maintain. Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, said, “We are fully committed to sustainable transport. The investments have been made, and a wide range of CO2-free vehicles is available today. But making them commercially viable at scale also depends on the wider ecosystem that is clearly delayed and not yet developing fast enough. This means two things — doubling down on the enabling conditions fast, and for the EU to delay the 2030 compliance timeline by three years, to prevent penalties for manufacturers.” Those penalties could exceed €2 billion, they warned. The process of getting megawatt charging equipment connected to the grid can take several years, delaying deployment even where operators and infrastructure providers are ready to invest. In addition, the manufacturers said the EU Commission has been slow to adapt changes to weights and dimensions rules that are needed 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. The EV100 crowd wants more electric trucks, but are they willing to put up the money to improve the commercial charging network? The manufacturers complain the current rules go too far, too fast. Getting to a 43 percent reduction in carbon dioxide levels by 2030 does seem to be a big ask. However, the manufacturers might have more credibility if they were not simultaneously opposing more stringent emissions standards for medium and heavy duty trucks in the US, especially in California. As regular reader Are Hansen noted recently, about 25,000 people died this summer in Europe as a result of extreme heat. Do their families get a say in this debate? Migration has become a flash point in many countries, but too often we overlook the fact that one of the primary reasons people migrate is to escape the heat and droughts brought on by an overheating planet. If you were a member of the European Commission, how would you resolve this struggle between truck manufacturers and truck purchasers? We look forward to hearing what you have to say in the comments.
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