The Financial Times talks about it, which is why the news supports on solid grounds: seven major producers ( Daimler, Scania, MAN, Volvo, DAF, IVECO and Ford ) would have signed an agreement that would anticipate well 10 years the abandonment of diesel engines in heavy commercial vehicles in Europe . We therefore speak of 2040 and no more than 2050 : although it looks like a promise for a very distant future, it is an ambitious goal, considering that today almost all of this type of vehicle is powered by diesel engines.

In recent years we have seen a great attention by the European regulatory authorities for reduce sales of petrol and diesel passenger vehicles ; on the other hand, much less attention has been paid to commercial vehicles. Longer average life of vehicles, the objective indispensability of road transport in the entire world logistic framework and other practical considerations have deliberately moved many of the constraints imposed on passenger vehicles for private use further.

The source therefore indicates the transition to a regime “ carbon neutral ” from 2040 onwards as regards heavy road transport and a few words need to be spent on the controversial interpretation given to this term. Often translated into Italian as “ zero emissions “, in the absence of objective nothing better, one is led to take literally something that is actually more complex. Being carbon neutral, for a company, does not mean not emitting anything harmful. That is impossible, especially if you take into consideration the entire path that leads to the creation of a vehicle, of any type, even full electric.