The energy transition for heavy-duty vehicles just received an unexpected boost. On 27 June 2025, the European Commission proposed to prolong the full toll waiver for battery-electric and hydrogen trucks from 31 December 2025 all the way to 30 June 2031 - an extra five-and-a-half years to recover the higher purchase price of a zero-emission tractor.
The 27 June Proposal in Context
Until now, the Eurovignette Directive allowed Member States to exempt zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles only until the end of 2025, after which a 75 % rebate would have applied. The Commission’s new draft amends Article 7c b, turning the rebate into a full exemption until mid-2031. The change still needs the Council and the European Parliament to agree, but Brussels has timed it so that national administrations can keep today’s waivers running without a legal gap. Road transport lobby IRU immediately welcomed the move, calling it “the missing piece that aligns operating costs with the EU’s CO₂-target for trucks.”
Diesel Fleets Face Steeper CO₂ Surcharges
While zero-emission trucks look at six toll-free years, diesel hauliers face triple pressure:
- Germany – CO₂-class 1 tractors already pay about €0.35 per km after the December 2023 surcharge and the July 2024 weight-class expansion.
- Austria – from 1 January 2025, a Euro VI 5-axle vehicle in CO₂-class 1 is charged €0.5317 per km, whereas a class 5 (zero-emission) equivalent pays only €0.1179.
- Denmark – a kilometre-based road tax starts on 1 January 2025 at 1.10 DKK /km for the worst class and just 0.13 DKK /km for class 5 - effectively €0.017 /km.
With each state required to phase in CO₂-differentiated tariffs by 25 March 2026, similar spreads will appear elsewhere over the next 18 months.
Route Economics: Three Real-World Scenarios
To illustrate the headline numbers, the following modelling assumes a 40-tonne Euro VI diesel in CO₂-class 1 versus an equivalent battery-electric truck in class 5, running the same payload. Energy costs are ignored to focus purely on tolls.
- Hamburg – Munich (DE, 782 km). At €0.35 /km, a diesel unit pays €273 per southbound trip, while the electric rig pays nothing if the waiver stays. A weekly out-and-back schedule (100,000 km p.a.) therefore yields roughly €35 000 in annual toll savings for the zero-emission truck.
- Vienna – Salzburg (AT, 296 km on the A1). Diesel duty totals €157 (296 km × €0.5317). The class 5 truck is invoiced €35 (296 km × €0.1179), so every leg saves €122. A fleet covering this corridor daily can claw back about €44 000 per vehicle each year.
- Copenhagen – Aarhus (DK, 187 km). From January, a diesel haulier faces 1.01 DKK /km outside eco-zones or roughly €0.134; the class 5 rate dips to 0.07 DKK (≈ €0.009). The single-trip gap is modest at €23, yet over 80,000 km, which still exceeds €9 000 per truck.
The savings are corridor-dependent but large enough to shorten the total-cost-of-ownership payback of battery or fuel-cell tractors by 1–2 years, according to transport economists consulted by ACEA.
National Exemptions – At a Glance (July 2025)
- Germany – full toll waiver for BEV/FCEV trucks > 4.25 t until 31 Dec 2025; proposal would prolong to 30 Jun 2031. Registration of CO₂-class 5 in the Toll-Collect portal is required.
- Austria – class 5 vehicles pay only the noise- and air-pollution components (0.118 €/km for 4+ axles). OBU must store ‘CO₂-Klasse 5’.
- Belgium – zero-emission trucks enjoy a 0 €/km rate in Flanders and Brussels; Wallonia still charges the Euro VI tariff pending regional legislation.
- Denmark – CO₂-based kilometre tax from 1 Jan 2025; class 5 rate set at 0.13 DKK /km nationwide. OBU registration handled by Sund & Bælt.
- France & Italy – no statutory discounts yet on concession-operated autoroutes; the Commission urges both states to transpose the Directive “without delay.”
- Netherlands – road-pricing act enters force in 2026; draft bill mirrors German structure with a provisional 100 % rebate for class 5.
- Poland & Czech Republic – eTOLL/SVAT modules recognise class 5 but apply only a 55-75 % reduction so far, pending the EU extension.
Checklist for Claiming the Discount
- Confirm CO₂-class 5 certification – vehicle documents must show zero-tailpipe emissions (battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell).
- Update OBUs and portals – Germany’s Toll-Collect, Austria’s GO-Box, and Viapass all require the new CO₂ tag before the first journey.
- Keep evidence on board – authorities across the DACH region can demand the Certificate of Conformity or the manufacturer’s query sheet during spot checks.
- Monitor mixed networks – cross-border corridors, especially those involving private concession roads in France or Italy, may still invoice standard tariffs.
- Plan charge stops, not toll booths – with toll savings now eclipsing electricity costs on many lanes, scheduling quick-charge sites takes priority over price comparisons.
Fleet managers who integrate these steps into their 2025-2030 procurement cycle can turn regulatory headwinds into a direct operating-cost advantage, shielding their margins against the steep rise in CO₂-class surcharges that diesel will continue to face.