The greening of road haulage fleets in France

Current situation and conditions for success

The decarbonization of freight transport in France and Europe entails a rethinking of the logistics sector: modal shifts and increased pooling, new rules for urban accessibility, availability of urban land and stricter constraints on e-commerce, are all levers to control the demand and to increase efficiency of flows. The choice of transport modes will also be decisive. Among other changes, there will need to be an increase in the modal share of rail freight (particularly for transit and international transport) to reach a target of 25% of tonne-kilometres (t.km) transported by 2050.¹ As defined by the national rail freight development strategy As a result and despite this ambition, road transport will remain the dominant mode, especially for regional transport. Given that context, addressing the shift to decarbonized fuels thus appears essential. This study focuses on the specific stakes of greening² Development of zero tailpipe emissions vehicle sales: electric and hydrogen heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) fleets.

For the transition to succeed, a set of conditions must be met simultaneously, involving all actors in a framework of fair competition and effort sharing. The State has a role to play in ensuring coherence, setting targets, providing financial support for the actors involved, and overseeing the development of infrastructure. The European framework requires manufacturers to develop a range of zero tailpipe emissions vehicles based on a defined trajectory.³ At present, CO2 emissions of manufacturer registrations should be reduced by 45% in 2030, by 65% in 2035, and by 90% in 2040 compared with the average CO2 emissions of the reporting period from mid-2019 to mid-2020. Hauliers must be given incentives and be able to acquire/operate these low-carbon vehicles profitably. Finally, contractors must be encouraged to use these solutions. This study addresses, in the form of a “package of measures”, the various aspects of public policy to facilitate the road haulage transition by involving all stakeholders in a coordinated and fair manner.

Key messages :

• The European CO2 emission standards pub lished in the Official Journal of the European Union on 6 June 2024 set tougher targets from 2030 onwards, leading to a minimum greening of HDV sales of around 34% to 36% in 2030 (compared with 1.3% in 2023 in France). To achieve this target, the competitive gap with diesel transport must be reduced. Thus, the levers to be considered urgently are the comparative prices of energies/fuels and the continuation of at least three years of support for the purchase of zero-emission HDVs and related infrastructure. For their part, manufacturers will have to offer de-risked commercial packages based on resale value.
• The authors believe that the introduction of greening quotas for large fleet owners could secure demand for zero tailpipe emissions vehicles. This study proposes pathways along these lines. Dividing the objectives according to GVW seems essential, given the development trajectories of technological solutions for each segment and usage.
• Finally, we recommend compulsory and more comprehensive reporting of road freight transport flows based on their environmental performance, as well as the introduction of an incentive mechanism to stimulate demand for low-carbon transport among hauliers.

• 1
  As defined by the national rail freight development strategy
• 2
  Development of zero tailpipe emissions vehicle sales: electric and hydrogen
• 3
  At present, CO2 emissions of manufacturer registrations should be reduced by 45% in 2030, by 65% in 2035, and by 90% in 2040 compared with the average CO2 emissions of the reporting period from mid-2019 to mid-2020.