The EU is extending the toll exemption for zero-emission trucks until 2031, yet the effect for freight companies remains limited. The measure is based on the cost per kilometer, but it ignores the operational realities of many businesses. Without charging infrastructure, without network expansion, and with high acquisition costs, a political signal will not translate into a practical, everyday solution. (focus: 08.01.26)
Freight Forwarders and Toll Exemption – A Bonus Without Practical Application
For many fleet operators, it’s not the announcement that matters, but the availability of the technology in line with daily operations. According to freight forwarders, an electric truck is often €100,000 to €150,000 more expensive than a comparable diesel truck, and this price difference quickly negates the benefit of the toll exemption. Furthermore, additional costs arise for charging points, grid connections, and downtime, meaning the toll exemption provides relief in the wrong place.
Furthermore, according to companies, subsidies often fail to reach small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Harald Jansen from Niederzier says: “Without government funding, it’s simply not financially viable,” and he adds, “but unfortunately, previous subsidies have primarily gone to large corporations.” This shifts the “transition to electric vehicles” towards fewer large fleets, while logistics companies with smaller fleets remain at risk.
Charging infrastructure as a bottleneck: Predictability becomes the exception
Rudolf Müller, a freight forwarder from Mehren in the Eifel region, describes the limitations with a sentence that perfectly captures everyday reality. “The limited range and an inadequate public charging infrastructure significantly restrict the flexibility of electric trucks,” says Müller. For freight forwarders, this means that routes become gambles on available charging points, functioning charging stations, and suitable locations. A charging network with gaps creates detours, and detours cost money.
Even when charging points are available, charging rarely fits the route schedule. Charging breaks take real minutes from the workday, and these minutes are then missing for the customer. At the same time, driving and rest time regulations prevent delays from being compensated for later, making the electric truck more of a disruptive factor in dispatching. The charging infrastructure thus determines not only range but overall productivity.
Grid Expansion at the Site: No Connection, No Fast Charging
Grid expansion remains another obstacle because fast charging requires stable connections. Harald Jansen points to his own company: The power grid at the company headquarters is not designed for a 300 or 400 kW fast charging station. This makes grid expansion a prerequisite, not a bonus, because without sufficient connection capacity, the charging network remains theoretical, even at the depot.
Furthermore, Jansen cites infrastructure costs in the range of €300,000 to €400,000, and these sums hit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hard. Those who are expected to invest need planning and permitting certainty, but this is precisely what is lacking in many places. If network expansion and charging infrastructure lag behind, a toll exemption can even be counterproductive because it creates expectations that cannot be met in practice.
Payload and Cost Chain: Electric Trucks Shift the Disadvantage to Every Delivery
In everyday operations, cargo volume is also a crucial factor, and this is where a structural disadvantage arises. Freight forwarders anticipate that electric trucks, due to their heavy batteries, will be able to carry at least two tons less payload. This reduces efficiency per trip, while fixed costs remain the same, ultimately leading to higher freight rates.
Jansen sums it up: “We would have to carry less, which would increase freight costs for our customers,” he explains. This puts freight forwarders under greater price pressure, and competition from providers in Eastern Europe intensifies. The political agenda focuses on emissions, but the cost chain impacts every single delivery.
Ultimately, toll exemptions remain symbolic as long as charging infrastructure and grid expansion are not comprehensive and as long as electric trucks have disadvantages in terms of purchase price and payload. Freight forwarders need a system that realistically reflects time windows, locations, and costs. Otherwise, the “transition to electric vehicles” will remain a project that is not viable in practice for many companies.