Abstract:

Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) represent only 4% of the on-road fleet in the European Union (EU), but are responsible for 30% of on-road CO2 emissions. The EU’s current strategy for controlling CO2 emissions from HDVs focuses on market forces and developing a new certification and reporting framework. This paper is meant to inform that strategy by presenting current data on freight movement and HDV sales and statistics in the EU. The approach used is to first gather the latest data on freight movement in the EU, HDV sales trends, and HDV fuel consumption. The ensuing analysis is focused on key trends over the past decade, noting the effects of the economic downturn and recovery. The paper compares HDVs with light-duty vehicles and other modes of freight transport, and then presents trends in real-world HDV fuel consumption. Finally, it summarizes differences and similarities between the EU and US HDV markets. The analysis shows that the efficiency of tractor-trailers in the EU has remained relatively constant since the early 2000s. The key HDV types in the EU are tractor-trailers and rigid trucks, responsible for the bulk of HDV sales and fuel consumption in the sector. Assessing sales trends over the past ten years illustrates that the trend in the EU is towards heavier vehicles and larger engines, more similar to those being sold in the US.