Mandatory CO2 monitoring planned for heavy vehicles

The European Commission (EC) has released a report laying out in detail its strategy to cut carbon emissions by heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) – the EC’s blanket term for trucks, buses and coaches.

The Commission intends to bring forward legislative proposals in 2015, whose effect would be to require carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from newly registered HDV models to be certified, reported and monitored by EU member states.

This would be achieved with the support of a new computer simulation tool called VECTO, developed with input from HDV manufacturers, which estimates fuel consumption and whole-vehicle CO2 emissions, including those caused by the motor and transmission, aerodynamics, rolling resistance and auxiliaries.

The aim is that the resulting information would be available to vehicle purchasers, allowing them to make more informed decisions and thereby increasing the efficiency of their fleets.

The EC said it “may consider further measures [once this is in force]… the most apparent option [being] to set mandatory limits on average CO2 emissions from newly-registered HDVs, as is already done for cars and vans.”

Other measures which could be considered include infrastructure development to support alternative fuel use; “smarter pricing on infrastructure usage”; and adjustments to vehicle taxation schemes. An impact assessment would be undertaken to identify the most cost-effective options, the EC said.

HDVs are responsible for approximately a quarter of CO2 emissions from road transport across the European Union, according to the EC. They are also estimated to account for around five per cent of the EU’s total CO2 emissions, a greater share than international aviation or shipping.

The status quo, the EC said, would be incompatible with its objective to reduce greenhouse gas emission levels from transport by around 60 per cent of 1990 levels by 2050.

Studies conducted during the new strategy’s preparation suggested that “state-of-the art technologies can achieve cost-effective reductions in CO2 emissions from new HDVs of at least 30 per cent,” the EC said.

For example, hybrid tech-nologies in city buses would help generate considerable CO2 reductions, while long-haul trucks would benefit from aerodynamic designs, as legislated for by the European Parliament in April (Transport Operator, May), and waste heat recovery. Other reduction means identified included technical improvements to motors, transmissions, tyres and auxiliaries; reducing vehicle weight at the design stage; better driver training; and improved fleet, maintenance and capacity management.

Connie Hedegaard, EC climate action commissioner, said: “We first regulated cars and vans, and we can now see the results: emissions have been reduced, air pollution in cities is in decline, and more innovative, fuel-efficient vehicles are now available to consumers.

“That is why we turn now to trucks and buses. This strategy outlines new measures which over time will cut CO2 emissions of these vehicles, save operators money and make the EU less dependent on imported oil.”

But the Freight Transport Association (FTA) expressed concerns that the certification scheme may be overly simplistic, and warned against the adoption of a ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy. It argued that the wide variety of weights and loads carried by new HDVs should be taken into account as part of the process, given that this would also affect their per tonne carbon efficiency.

FTA climate change policy manager Rachael Dillon said: “It is good to finally see this long awaited strategy from the Commission on how our industry can decarbonise.  But any approach to certifying carbon emissions of vehicles that does not take into account how much that vehicle can carry misses the point. Larger vehicles may well be more carbon efficient per tonne carried, and that is what matters… It is vital that the Commission considers a whole package of measures, not just a certification scheme.”

While welcoming Commission support for alternative fuels refuelling infrastructure and its recognition of the role aerodynamics has to play, FTA also urged the EC to “resolve its own conflict with tackling carbon emissions against air quality.”

It said: “For over twenty years, operators have continued to invest in higher Euro standard trucks to improve air quality across Europe, to the detriment of improving carbon performance.  The latest generation of vehicles have been designed around the EU’s new Euro 6 standard which sets extremely low limits for nitrous oxide and particulate matter.  Now the focus is switched to carbon.  There must be a more joined-up approach to the carbon and air quality challenge.”

The EC report was released on 21 May, the day before polling began in the European parliamentary elections. The poll yielded a strong turnout for Eurosceptic political parties across the continent, including Nigel Farage’s UK Independence Party, which won the highest share of votes domestically.

It remains to be seen whether the surge in the anti-establishment vote will alter the course and quantity of policymaking by the EC as a result of pressure to reform from national leaders. Alongside emissions, the list of Europe’s competences that impact on road transport include Driver CPC, cabotage, roadworthiness checks, drivers’ hours and vehicle technical standards.