The parts industry want to increase vehicle sizes and weights to compensate for heavy batteries required to move lorries and goods.
The topic is under discussion with EU legislators and now CLEPA has come up with these proposals as the industry moves towards a 2050 deadline.
The international transport, trade and manufacturing of vehicles and movement of goods means if these proposals are adopted in Europe they will almost certainly have to be replicated in Britain with implications for legislation on weight limits, speed limits and driver categories.
It might also mean some older bridges would not be available to be used in future and longer diversions would be necessary, pushing up transport costs and travel time with effects on drivers’ hours. There was chaos in North Wales last year when the Menai Bridge had to be closed due to corroded suspension elements (picture above).
Five key recommendations for a successful regulation:
- Increase of the axle load in light of the expected increase of the maximum authorised weight for a vehicle in combination with zero-emission vehicle by 4 tonnes. That additional weight requires a revision and subsequent increase of the maximum axle load through the whole truck-trailer (or semi-trailer) combination, without penalising the load capacity of the trailer.
- Additional weight allowances for zero-emission vehicles of 4 tonnes, particularly to what pertains to sub-sections 2.2.1 and 2.2.2, in such a way that the additional weight can be shared between the HDV and the trailer or eTrailer.
- A new exception for additional weight allowances, which would focus on allowing for the possibility to deploy zero-emission technologies such as eTrailers and zero-emission refrigeration units on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as a medium-term measure until all HDVs become ZEVs. This would allow for the elimination of around 6 million tonnes of CO2 emitted annually by all refrigeration units circulating on EU roads.
- An extension of deadline for allowances to 2039, considering the expected increase in the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, the deadline for these weight allowances should be extended to 2039, if the enabling conditions on the market allow for it.
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Clear definitions of Trailers, eTrailers and eTrailer technology need to be provided to ensure the appropriate inclusion of those unpowered vehicles in the regulation.
