The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has welcomed the European Commission’s Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive Sector, particularly the focus on incentives and better infrastructure access to support commercial road transport operators’ uptake of zero-emission vehicles.

However, the IRU says it remains deeply concerned about the lack of technology options for road transport – only battery-electric technology is promoted as a clean solution – and the potential purchasing mandates for corporate fleets.

The European Action Plan sets out the roadmap to support the automotive industry in its transition to clean, connected and increasingly automated vehicles.

The IRU says it appreciates the plan’s clean mobility pillar, recognising the need to ensure enabling conditions for the rollout of electric vehicles, along with several supporting measures. At the same time, the fact that the plan prescribes battery-electric vehicles as the EU’s only solution to green road transport is concerning.

IRU EU Director Raluca Marian said, “Carbon-neutral fuels, renewable fuels, biofuels, and even hydrogen are missing from the EU’s plan. Despite Member States being legally obliged to build infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling, the plan does not seem to take this technology seriously.”

“Our takeaway is reinforced by the recently published Clean Industrial Deal, which mentions hydrogen only for aviation and maritime. To sum up, the EU is putting all its bets on one option, battery-electric technology,” she added.