Finland successfully influenced emission calculation of extra-heavy vehicle combinations

On 20 May 2025, the European Commission published a delegated regulation that creates a separate vehicle sub-group for extra-heavy combination lorries to the EU’s CO2 emission performance standards regulation for the calculation of CO2 emission targets of vehicle manufacturers. Finland was active in influencing the process in advance to define extra-heavy combination lorries (EHC).

EHC lorries are more energy efficient and reduce CO2 emissions from transport in proportion to the tonnes of goods and transport distances. The aim for Finland was that the calculations of emissions from lorries would take into account the actual use of EHC lorries and the lower relative emissions from heavy combinations.

Special features of heavy combinations used in Finland taken into account in the definition of EHC lorries

The EU decided to update the CO2 emission performance standards regulation for heavy-duty vehicles in 2024. Finland played an active role in the negotiations to ensure that vehicles used in combinations that have bigger dimensions and mass will continue to be available. They are important for Finland’s logistics system and improve transport efficiency and competitiveness.

Vehicles used in heavy combinations were taken into account in the regulation, and the European Commission was authorised to adopt a more detailed delegated regulation concerning these vehicles to define the data used for calculating their emissions. The work on the regulation by the EU expert group started in autumn 2024, and the Commission has taken Finland’s views into account in the process to prepare the regulation.

The regulation now published will bring the emission calculations of EHC lorries into an appropriate scale and take into account the better energy efficiency when using these for transport. In future, their special features will be even better taken into account in the CO2 emission calculations for lorries, which is in line with Finland’s targets.

EHC lorries have been defined in Article 3(25) of the CO2 emission performance standards regulation (EU) 2019/1242.

What’s next?

The delegated regulation was published on 20 May 2025. The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have two months to scrutinise the act. If no objections are submitted, the act enters into force.

Inquiries:

Sara Österberg, Senior Specialist, tel. 0295 342 041, [email protected]