Powering Europe’s green freight future

As Europe races toward its climate neutrality goals, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and Eurelectric have issued a joint call for urgent grid reform and investment, warning that the success of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) hinges on the readiness of Europe’s electricity grids.

In their newly released joint paper, the two industry bodies underscore the critical role of Distribution System Operators (DSOs) in enabling the large-scale deployment of HDV charging infrastructure. Without swift action to modernise and expand electricity grids, they argue, the EU’s ambitious CO₂ reduction targets for trucks and buses risk falling short.

“We need the enabling conditions to be put in place to ensure an effective, efficient transition to zero-emission road transport across our continent.”

Grid constraints threaten climate goals

Under current EU climate policies, up to one-third of new heavy-duty vehicle registrations must be zero-emission by 2030. However, the roll-out of charging infrastructure—especially along key transport routes like the TEN-T corridors and in urban and depot areas—is lagging behind due to grid limitations, permitting delays, and regulatory obstacles.

ACEA and Eurelectric highlight that Distribution System Operators must be empowered to take a more proactive role in planning and investing in grid capacity ahead of demand. The current reactive model, where grid upgrades follow requests for connection, is simply too slow to match the pace of the HDV transition.

Key policy recommendations

The paper sets out a number of urgent policy actions, including:

• Anticipatory investments in grid infrastructure based on projected HDV charging demand
• Harmonised, transparent grid capacity maps to guide infrastructure planning
• Streamlined permitting procedures to speed up the deployment of charging stations
• Flexible connection models to reduce connection times and costs
• Support for Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) to meet the high energy demands of HDVs
• Electricity pricing reforms that maintain the competitiveness of zero-emission freight vehicles

A call to action

The two organisations are urging EU institutions and Member States to prioritise grid modernisation and capacity expansion as part of their decarbonisation strategies. With the number of electric trucks expected to rise rapidly by 2030, they stress that only a future-ready grid can power the continent’s green freight revolution.

The joint paper is available here: ACEA & Eurelectric joint recommendations on grid readiness