VDA President Hildegard Müller:

"The commercial vehicle industry is a key pillar of the economy, a key driver of industrial value creation, and can make valuable contributions to the climate-neutral mobility of the future. It is high time to pay more attention to it—which now is fortunately also happening at the European level.

The German automotive industry is resolutely committed to the Paris climate goals. From 2025 to 2029 alone, German manufacturers and suppliers will invest around €320bn in research and development. Around €220bn will be invested in capital expenditures, including the conversion of factories. Commercial vehicle manufacturers have already adapted their product portfolios and expanded them to include vehicles with alternative drive systems to advance the transition to climate-neutral technologies. The fact is: the commercial vehicle industry is delivering. German manufacturers are already producing, for example, series-ready heavy-duty electric trucks with ranges of up to 500 kilometers. The first series-ready hydrogen trucks have a range of 700 to 800 kilometers.

Now, the framework conditions must be right for the deployment of zero-emission vehicles to be economically viable. However, what is currently lacking is a comprehensive charging and refueling infrastructure, appropriate incentives for purchasing and operating vehicles, and competitive charging and refueling costs—to name just the most urgent needs.

In many parts of Europe, there are currently hardly any charging points for light and heavy commercial vehicles, either in public or private spaces. The Europe-wide development of charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure for trucks and buses must therefore be massively accelerated and expanded across the board. The expansion of megawatt charging systems (MCS) in public spaces should become standard practice to enable rapid charging of heavy commercial vehicles. To achieve this, the AFIR requirements must be revised and adapted to the future demand for alternatively powered commercial vehicles up to 2030 and beyond.

Targeted funding programs for public charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure must be implemented more quickly and clearly. Priority should be given to expanding grid connections, construction cost subsidies, and funding for charging points and refueling stations. Uniform European prioritization criteria could help implement grid connection requests more efficiently. At the same time, the rapid expansion of the electricity grid requires a secure supply chain for critical materials and components. The EU must therefore ensure a stable supply of intermediate products such as transformers, cables, electrical steel sheets, and semiconductors.

The current regulatory framework often leads to delays in the expansion of charging points suitable for commercial vehicles. Grid capacity must anticipate demand and become available where charging needs arise—not only when demand already exists. Distribution system operators (DSOs) must be empowered to make forward-looking investments based on projected charging needs for heavy commercial vehicles. National regulators also need a clear mandate to enable investments even before the ramp-up of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles by 2030. Close coordination between manufacturers, grid operators, charging infrastructure operators, and other market players is also required. A digital, easily accessible overview of available grid capacity in Europe would be a decisive factor for investment decisions.

Furthermore, the costs of electricity and hydrogen must be economically viable. Energy taxation should be reformed so that charging electricity, hydrogen, and renewable fuels are tax-exempt or subject to no more than the EU minimum tax rate across Europe. Furthermore, a correction mechanism in CO₂ regulation is needed that recognizes the increasing contribution of CO₂-neutral fuels in the transport sector. It is also clear that the full economic viability of emission-free drive systems will only be achieved if fossil fuels are appropriately priced for CO₂. Therefore, the European Trading System (ETS-2) must launch as planned in 2027 and replace national pricing.

All this shows: The list of tasks is long, and the pressure to act is great. If the framework conditions do not keep pace with the ramp-up, an economically viable commercial vehicle industry cannot develop. Therefore, flexibility in the design of CO₂ regulation and a penalty system that is fair and appropriate are needed. At the very least, the review of heavy commercial vehicles, originally scheduled for 2026, should take place this year so that the targets can be adjusted in time."