New legislation agreed to increase zero emissions trucks and urban buses on European roads

The Commission welcomes the final adoption today by the EU Member States of the revised regulation on CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) entering the EU market from 2030. These new CO2 standards will contribute to the decarbonisation of the road transport sector. They are another milestone to deliver the European Green Deal and reduce the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and to reach climate neutrality by 2050.

The new regulation will cover almost all trucks, urban buses, long-distance buses and trailers. It establishes CO2 emissions reduction targets that will be applied progressively in the coming decades: -45% emissions for 2030-2034, -65% for 2035-2039 and -90% as of 2040, compared to 2019 levels.

The transition to zero-emission public transport is already underway in many European cities. To accelerate this uptake, new urban buses must reduce emissions by 90% as of 2030. All new urban buses will have to be zero-emissions by 2035.

Zero-emission and more energy-efficient heavy-duty vehicles will help improve air quality and the health of Europeans. It will also enable the EU to lower the demand for imported fossil fuels and sends a clear signal to guide investments in innovative zero-emission technologies and boost the rollout of recharging and refuelling infrastructure.
The new EU legislation will soon be published in the EU Official journal and enter into force.