Since 1 January 2025, every heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) that emits no tail-pipe CO₂—whether battery-electric, hydrogen fuel-cell or certified hydrogen combustion—can clock up motorway kilometres in Germany without paying a cent in LKW-Maut. The waiver covers vehicles whose technically permissible maximum laden mass (TPMLM) exceeds 4.25 t and runs until 31 December 2025. Vehicles at or below that 4.25-tonne threshold keep the privilege permanently.
Who qualifies and what paperwork proves it
Germany’s toll computers within its toll systems in Europe do not guess; they rely on clear data. To be recognised as toll-free in 2025, a truck must meet all of the following conditions:
- Propulsion – The drivetrain must be purely electric (battery or fuel cell) or hydrogen-only. Toll Collect classifies such rigs in CO₂ Class 5, the category reserved for zero-emission HDVs.
- Weight – For the temporary 2025 waiver, the vehicle must weigh over 4.25 tons. Lighter electric rigids remain exempt indefinitely.
- Registration document – In the German registration certificate (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I) field P.3 must expressly state the fuel type “Elektro”, “Wasserstoff” or “Brennstoffzelle”.
- On-Board Unit (OBU) – Even toll-free trucks must keep an active OBU or EETS device so gantry cameras can match the licence plate to CO₂ Class 5. Satellite OBUs remain the standard for automated distance measurement.
If any element is missing—most often the CO₂-class flag in the OBU profile—the system defaults to the normal tariff and back-charges the route retrospectively.
What the exemption is worth in hard cash
To understand the impact, compare today’s diesel tariff with the zero rate. A Euro VI tractor-trailer above 18 t with five axles currently attracts 34.8 c per kilometre according to the official tariff table in force since 1 July 2024.
A fleet operating one such diesel vehicle over 100 000 km would therefore send €34 800 to Toll Collect in 2025. Running the same mileage with an electric or hydrogen truck eliminates the entire amount. At a higher utilisation of 140 000 km, the avoided toll climbs to almost €49 000 per unit—enough to offset roughly half of an annual lease on a battery-electric tractor or the bulk of a hydrogen supply contract for a fuel-cell rig.
Multiply that figure by the number of zero-emission trucks on the books and the savings quickly reach mid-six-digit territory. A ten-unit long-haul e-fleet covering 120 000 km each side-steps just over €417 000 in toll outlay during 2025.
What happens after New Year’s Eve 2025?
Legislation already on the books states that, from 1 January 2026, zero-emission HDVs will move to a 75 percent reduction on the infrastructure component of the tariff, while still paying the small noise-and-air charges. In other words, they will be billed for roughly one quarter of the diesel rate: seven to nine euro-cents per kilometre on the heaviest axle configurations.
Berlin has reserved the right to extend the full waiver if uptake remains lower than climate targets demand, but hauliers should plan finance models on the conservative assumption that a partial toll will return in 2026.
How to register a new vehicle in practice
- Gather the documents—scans of the registration certificate showing the zero-emission fuel code and TPMLM.
- Upload to the Toll-Collect or EETS portal and select CO₂ Class 5. Processing usually completes within two to three working days.
- Check OBU firmware—older devices shipped before mid-2023 may need a workshop update to display the new CO₂ classes.
- Carry the email confirmation—roadside enforcement units can query the database, but often ask drivers to produce the PDF on the spot.
Operational levers to pull in 2025
- Route allocation – Prioritise zero-emission trucks on high-toll corridors such as the A3 (Lower Rhine–Bavaria), A5 (Hesse–Baden-Württemberg), and A9 (Berlin–Munich).
- Pricing strategy – Pass part of the toll saving to shippers to win tenders; a 6–8 % rate cut on domestic German lanes keeps margins intact.
- Contract clauses – Negotiate indexation that references any future CO₂-based toll for Class 5 vehicles, hedging against the 2026 step-change.
- Cap-ex planning – The 12-month toll-free window shortens total-cost-of-ownership payback to as little as four years on intensive line-haul duty cycles, tipping procurement decisions firmly toward battery and hydrogen options.
Key takeaway for 2025 budgets
For the next twelve months, every kilometre your electric or hydrogen truck drives on German toll roads carries a €0.00 price tag, backed by Federal law. Whether you use the breathing space to trial a single e-tractor or to scale an entire low-carbon fleet, the exemption represents a once-in-a-generation cost lever that smart carriers will seize while it lasts.