How can commercial road transport transition to zero-emission vehicles while keeping costs under control? This was the question at the heart of the latest Green Compact Roundtable, hosted by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA).
Over 30 senior representatives from IRU corporate members and partners – including logistics operators, shippers, energy suppliers and service providers – gathered at IRU member ACEA in Brussels for the latest Green Compact Roundtable.
Discussions focused on the current state of decarbonisation based on the findings of the new IRU Green Compact survey and the updated EU decarbonisation roadmap developed by IRU; the financial implications of carbon neutrality for operators; the impact of ETS2; the new powertrains available on the market; and the enabling conditions required, including electricity.
The new Green Compact survey found that operators are committed to decarbonisation – adopting efficiency measures and planning alternative fuel investments – but high vehicle and energy costs, limited infrastructure, and complex regulation remain significant obstacles to further progress.
The survey took the pulse on decarbonisation expectations, concerns and planned investments from operators in Australia, Central Asia, Europe, Mexico and Türkiye. Eighty-six per cent of respondents were SMEs, reflecting the make-up of the industry.
IRU also shared its updated decarbonisation roadmap for the EU road freight sector to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 while minimising the cost of the transition. Decarbonisation roadmaps for other countries and regions are in the pipeline.
The updated EU roadmap leverages two new IRU models that are currently being tested to dig deeper into the cost aspects of decarbonisation.
The Alternative Fuels and Efficiency Model (AFEM) is a cutting-edge calculation tool for operators and shippers. It combines regulatory reporting, emissions reduction strategies, and TCO analysis. Using telematics data, AFEM calculates energy consumption, emissions and costs for both past and future trips, factoring in eco-driving efficiency, payload and vehicle parameters.
The Decarbonisation Roadmap Maker (DRM) simulates the effectiveness of new technologies, practices and policies. DRM enables governments and companies, including large operators and shippers, to develop pragmatic, data-driven decarbonisation roadmaps, while monitoring costs.
IRU member LKW Walter will host the next Green Compact roundtable in Vienna on 23 October 2025.
About the IRU Green Compact
The Green Compact is the commercial road transport industry’s collective commitment and plan to decarbonise by 2050.
The Green Compact is grounded in a scientific, evidence-based approach – applied to the analysis of transport operations, the investigation of decarbonisation levers, and the forecasting of market potential – with a focus on economic sustainability.
