Road freight transport: the energy transition at the heart of European lawmakers’ plans
Revision of the European directive: heading for the adoption of new energy and transport optimisation
The first text relates to the revision of the Directive on the weights and dimensions of heavy goods vehicles. MEPs voted in favour in March. The idea is to allow manufacturers to design and produce new heavy goods vehicles to accommodate new energy sources. The aim is to compensate for the space and weight needed to install conventional or hydrogen batteries and provide additional charging capacity. MEPs agreed to increase the weight of zero-emission lorries by four tonnes. The main measures include allowing mega-trucks of up to 25.25 metres and 60 tonnes to circulate in the EU. A trialogue with the Parliament and the Commission will be held shortly to finalise the text's legislative progress and confirm its possible application.
The new directive includes other equally important measures. Brussels is suggesting the creation of a European label for the length of these vehicles. In addition, the Commission should create a web portal containing information on the weight and length limits applicable in each EU country and on the roads reserved for mega-trucks. The Commission wants to see stricter enforcement of EU rules, suggesting that EU countries set up automatic control systems along major EU roads to check whether trucks and buses are complying with weight and dimension limits. ACEA remains sceptical about the new directive. It recalls that the new, higher weights envisaged for vehicles will only become a reality if axle loads are revised in proportion. It is calling for the European rule to be raised for drive axles to 12.5t (instead of 11.5t), for both goods and passenger vehicles. According to ACEA, ‘this is a fundamental prerequisite’.
Pollutant emissions: a European regulatory framework reinforced by the Euro VII standard
Another vote by the European Parliament was the agreement reached with the European Council with regard to the Euro VII regulation for cars and heavy goods vehicles. This text establishes more stringent exhaust emission limits for trucks, both under laboratory conditions (for example, a NOx limit of 200 mg/kWh) and in real driving conditions (NOx limit of 260 mg/kWh), while maintaining the current Euro VI test standards. The future new Euro VII standard also introduces performance criteria for electric vehicles with regard to the condition of their batteries, to reassure buyers of used vehicles. Like other vehicles, these will be subject to limit values for emissions of fine particles from brakes and tyres. For brakes, the thresholds are set at 3 mg/km in the test cycle for electric vehicles and 7 mg/km for hybrids and internal combustion engine vehicles. This threshold is raised to 11 mg/km in the homologation cycle for heavy commercial vehicles with internal combustion engines. The measurement of fine particle emissions from tyre rolling will also be taken into account, although the emission thresholds for the European Union's Euro VII standards remain to be determined after the evaluation period. For heavy-duty vehicles, this limit will have to be defined by 1 April 2030 at the latest.
On a similar subject: “FNTR, more European realism to decarbonise tomorrow” (in French)
In addition, each new vehicle on its registration will be issued with an environmental passport providing information on its environmental performance such as pollutant emissions, CO2 emissions, fuel and electrical energy consumption, electric range and battery durability. The text will have to go back to the Council one last time before coming into force.
Green transition: particulate emissions from tyres scrutinised by lawmakers
The method of measuring tyre abrasion will therefore be decisive for the adoption of Euro VII. The UNECE's WP.29 working group (World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations under the auspices of the UN in Geneva) approved it last February. An initial set of proposals relating to vehicle tyres was adopted, defining the measurement protocols. This first phase will make it possible to assess the performance of tyres available on the market, a prerequisite for setting targets.
See also: “How sustainability is becoming a key feature in haulage tenders” (in French)
In practical terms, the measurements will be carried out outdoors, on real roads open to the public, while setting limits to guarantee the reproducibility and comparability of the tests. A convoy of four vehicles will be used: the first equipped with baseline tyres, the next three equipped with the tyres to be assessed. The test cycle will last 8,000 kilometres, with drivers and vehicles rotating every 500 kilometres. The first test cycle will involve 200 tyre references. According to ETRMA (European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association), once the state of the art of the market is known and shared, regulators will be able to decide on the limits to be imposed for passenger car tyres (C1). The proposals and limits evaluated will then become the reference for the methodology of the Euro VII regulation. For light commercial vehicle tyres (C2 according to ETRMA), the deadline is 2028, while for HGV tyres (C3) it will be 2030, in line with the deadlines for the entry into force of the Euro VII standards. The European Union was a guest at the Industry Meetings 2024. A round-table discussion bringing together key players from the European Union addressed the main measures of the new weights and dimensions directive and those of the future Euro VII standard.