BPW ahead in future EU trailer regulations

The EU will be certifying trailers according to their CO2 emissions from 2024, and trailer manufacturers who fail to comply with the fleet consumption targets can expect to be fined.

In addition to towing vehicles, the EU will set fleet thresholds for trailers for the first time from 2024 on. This should reduce emissions from towing vehicles by 15 per cent until 2025 and by 30 per cent until 2030 compared to the 2019/2020 reference period. Trailer manufacturers who fail the yet to be defined fleet consumption targets can expect fines.

One to three-axle semit-railers will be certified, as well as central axle trailers, turntable trailers and trailers with box-shaped structures.

The trailers’ CO2 emissions are determined using software specially developed for this purpose, known as the Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool (VECTO), which calculates different usable loads and dimensions while taking into account different bonus factors.

BPW is a member of the VECTO committees, where it advocates for considering further consumption-reducing solutions, and its products already fulfil the requirements.

These solutions include regenerative braking axles that generate power for electric cooling units while driving, among other things.

However, BPW Application Engineering Manager, Bernd Rhein, said there are still a few unanswered questions before the final design of the certification.

“More consideration of the benefits of transport would be desirable,” he said.

“A high-volume transporter that makes maximum use of the legally permitted dimensions, for example, might get a worse rating than a standard vehicle according to the current plan.

“Longer vehicle combinations and drawbar trailers with more than three axles are also lacking. A little more fine-tuning is needed to realistically reflect the economic factors and climate-friendliness of these vehicles.”

According to Rhein, the new trailer certification will be a win-win situation for the environment and for vehicle operators.

“In principle, we are headed in the right direction,” he said.

“The regulation is a great advantage for innovative vehicle manufacturers and their system partners – it creates more transparency and comparability, where previously the sales price was the main focus.”

The BPW Group fulfils the EU climate protection targets for trailers by demonstrating the CO2 and fuel savings in its trailer solutions for years, along with special figures about reduced tyre wear and other system advantages relevant to the economics of transport.

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