The road to zero-emission trucking in Europe is complex yet in sight, shaped by European and national policies, infrastructure development, and market readiness. To assess progress and identify gaps, a new study conducted by Ricardo on behalf of the European Clean Trucking Alliance (ECTA) has examined the conditions for zero-emission truck (ZET) adoption in five key EU Member States.
Benchmarking Progress: The KPI Approach
The study evaluates six Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure how well these countries are facilitating the transition to zero-emission trucks. These KPIs reflect critical enablers such as infrastructure readiness, regulatory frameworks, and market incentives, providing a comprehensive picture of each country’s performance.
By scoring and comparing the five selected Member States, the study highlights which countries are leading the charge and which need to accelerate efforts to create a favourable ecosystem for ZET adoption. The scoring is based on each country’s relative position to the top performer, offering a clear benchmark for progress.
Why These Countries?
Five Member States were included in the analysis to represent diverse experiences across the EU: Germany, Poland, Spain, The Netherlands and Sweden. Factors such as geographic diversity, country size, the significance of the trucking sector, and data availability were all considered to ensure a broad and insightful assessment. This approach allows for a nuanced understanding of the different challenges and opportunities in the European trucking landscape.
Key Findings and Policy Recommendations
The study provides in-depth analysis of each KPI for the selected countries and offers recommendations to a EU and national stakholders on how to improve conditions for ZET deployment. One of the study’s key contributions is its ability to act as a reference point for policymakers, enabling them to identify best practices and implement targeted measures that will accelerate the transition.
Moreover, the study identifies areas where better data is needed to refine future assessments and ensure that progress is being tracked accurately.
Finally, this analysis can be updated over time, offering a valuable tool for monitoring trends and assessing the impact of policy decisions.
A Call to Action
The findings of this study reinforce the need for continued and coordinated action to support the transition to zero-emission trucking. ECTA calls on EU policymakers to use this analysis to strengthen national and EU-wide strategies, ensuring that all Member States create the conditions needed for a successful and rapid shift to zero-emission freight transport.
Find out more at our exclusive event on 27 March or subscribe to our newsletter if you wish to stay tuned for further updates as we continue to track Europe’s journey towards a cleaner and more sustainable trucking sector.
