24 Sep 2026
Following the IAA Transportation 2026 trade fair in Hannover, seven of Europe's largest truck manufacturers are asking for a three-year delay to the EU's 2030 emissions targets. They're not disputing the shift to zero-emission transport itself — their concern is the pace: there are fewer than 2,000 public charging points across Europe today, when at least 700 new ones a month would be needed, grid connection times are long, and energy prices remain high.
One number worth noting: zero-emission vehicles currently make up just 2.4% of new heavy-truck registrations in Europe. Missing the 2030 target by even three percentage points could cost manufacturers roughly €2.2 billion in fines. For carriers, that's a signal there's no rush to commit to electric tractors just yet — the economics don't work without broader infrastructure in place, and the target timeline itself looks likely to shift in the coming months.