As the EU prepares to hold a series of high-level meetings this week on the future of the automotive industry, the Continent’s truck and bus makers say they have reaffirmed their commitment to a green transition, however their are some cracks appearing in the unity of the manufacturer’s side of the debate.
Some truck and bus makers are cautioning that insufficient “enabling conditions” has put the sector at risk for “circumstances beyond its control”.
Traton and Scania boss Christian Levin has warned that Europe risks losing its century-long leadership in the truck industry unless electric vehicle adoption accelerates dramatically.
Speaking last week to a Danish magazine, Levin highlighted that battery electric vehicles represent just 1.5 per cent of new heavy truck sales in the EU, which has not changed since 2024, while China has achieved 25 per cent market penetration already and is accelerating.
The European commercial manufacturers provide what they claim, and have been shown to be true, vehicles that are described as the backbone of Europe’s economy, and which are essential to daily life for hundreds of millions of people and businesses across the globe.
ACEA claims 13.2 million Europeans work in the automotive sector, and represent around 10.3 per cent of all manufacturing jobs in the EU, generating €383.7 billion in tax revenue for European governments as well as €106.7 billion trade surplus for the European Union
It also claims that more than 7.5 per cent of EU GDP is generated by the auto industry and that it spends more than €72.8 billion in R&D annually, which is around 33 per cent of the EU’s annual total
The sector says it has invested billions in developing zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) that can meet all transport needs.
However under the 2030 CO2 reduction targets, the share of ZEVs in the market must increase from just around 3.5 per cent of the market in the first half of 2025 to at least 35 per cent, within five years.
Meantime, essential conditions, from adequate grid connections to key legislation, such as the EU Weights and Dimensions Directive, are not in place according to the vehicle makers.
It is also claimed that critical instruments such as competitive charging prices, dedicated incentives, CO2-based road user chargers and other crucial elements continue to face delays.
Commercial vehicle manufacturers say they are looking forward to an exchange with EU Commission president Uvulas von der Leyen, as well as key EU commissioners on the urgent steps needed to make the 2030 targets achievable and ensure a fair and realistic transition.
Volkswagen controlled heavy vehicle corporation, Traton is one company that is questioning if the goals can be achieved in the time allowed.
“We are already delivering the vehicles and offer zero-emission solutions for all transport needs, but most of the essential enabling conditions are not in place today, said Christian Levin.
“If all the other pieces don’t fall into place, we will fail. This is not a failure of engineering, it’s a failure of policy”, said Levin, who as well as being in charge of Traton and being CEO of Scania Group, is also chairperson of the Commercial Vehicle Board at ACEA.
“The Commission must accelerate the review of the HDV CO2 Regulation to better reflect the interdependencies within the transport and logistics industry,” Levin said. last week.
“This cannot wait until 2027, and we need an urgent assessment and monitoring of the most critical enabling conditions for the climate-neutrality transition of heavy-duty road transport,” the Traton boss said.
“The success of the climate neutrality transition does not depend on vehicle manufacturers alone, yet we are the only actors exposed to disproportionate non-compliance penalties despite being most ready to deliver”, added Levin.
However, having said that, Europe’s truck and bus manufacturers say they remain committed to driving the transition to climate neutrality, despite highlighting that success will depend on swift, coordinated action from policymakers to remove the barriers standing in the way.
“European Commission have been preparing for a series of high-level meetings this week on the future of the automotive industry, and Europe’s truck and bus makers say they have reaffirmed their commitment to the green transition.
However the Euro makers have cautioned that insufficient enabling conditions put the sector at risk for circumstances beyond its control.
