The German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Urban Development (BMDV) launched the Overall Approach to Climate-Friendly Commercial Vehicles in 2020.
This entails an integrated package of three key measures: vehicle financing, infrastructure deployment, and the establishment of a reliable regulatory framework.
in this regard, in 2023 a Progress Report was published, presenting the current developments and activities of the Ministry.
Regarding the market trends forecasted by BMDV and the consultant NOW GmbH, reported to Mobility Portal Europe, “around 3/4 of new registrations for heavy vehicles are to be emission-free in 2030“.
It is worth noting that, according to the figures published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), Germany and France lead the sales of zero-emission heavy vehicles in the European Union in 2023.
More than half of the sales on the continent come from these countries, with Germany leading with 23 per cent of heavy truck registrations and 51 per cent of light and medium trucks.
Scania, part of the Volkswagen Group, and Mercedes-Benz are among the brands that market the most sustainable heavy vehicles in the EU.
This achievement is attributed to the success of the government’s approach towards climate neutrality, as outlined in its “Climate Change Act.”
The objective is to electrify approximately one-third of the total distance covered by road freight transport by the year 2030.
Moreover, this legislation dictates that by the year 2045, the country must achieve greenhouse gas emissions neutrality.
Furthermore, by 2050, they aim to have a negative emissions balance.
For the transformation to succeed, it is not only necessary to produce and market zero-emission heavy vehicles but also to develop charging infrastructure in line with demand.
To achieve this, Germany is preparing its routes in accordance with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR).
Through the Deutschlandnetz (Germany’s network), the federal government ensures a comprehensive, fast-charging infrastructure, tailored to needs and easy to use nationwide.
It consists of publicly accessible High Power Charging (HPC) points in urban, suburban, and rural areas, as well as on federal highways.
This aims to ensure that the next fast-charging point can be reached in just a few minutes.
Each one must be technically capable of delivering a maximum power of at least 300 kilowatts and a nominal charging capacity of at least 200 kilowatts.
This deployment of infrastructure is the key to the success of the alternative propulsion heavy vehicle market.
European-level deployment is also necessary, hence the importance of AFIR to ensure cross-border transportation and boost sales and economic viability of this technological option.
Not only that, but providing incentives to drive this transition is also crucial.
In this context, BMDV and NOW GmbH emphasize the need for an extension of the funding guidelines for the Climate-friendly Commercial Vehicles and Infrastructure (KsNI) program beyond its current validity until the end of 2024.
The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of alternative propulsion and fuels in road freight transport.
For this purpose, the federal government provides subsidies to promote the purchase of light and heavy zero-emission commercial vehicles, as well as to support the construction and expansion of refueling and charging infrastructure, among other initiatives.
Germany is one of the strongest markets for heavy vehicles in Europe
It is expected that, as the hub of the automotive industry and with its ambitious climate protection goals, the country will position itself as a leader in the adoption of environmentally friendly commercial vehicles.
It is also awaited to meet the EU’s CO2 targets for heavy vehicles, gradually phasing out almost all sales of new diesel trucks by 2040.
Specifically, manufacturers will have to reduce the average emissions of new trucks by 45 per cent in 2030, 65 per cent in 2035, and 90 per cent in 2040.
It is worth noting that after cars, this kind of vehicles are the most polluting ones in Europe.
Transport & Environment estimates that around 30 per cent of trucks sold in 2030 will be zero-emission (electric or hydrogen).
Read more: The EU agrees on the world’s most ambitious CO2 reduction targets for trucks and buses
