Kögel Trailer is drawing attention to the impact of what it calls the EU’s “unrealistic” VECTO regulation on the transportation industry, with a new campaign.
A campaign event was attended by Bavarian Deputy Minister-President, Hubert Aiwanger, who supported Kögel’s call for technically achievable CO₂ targets to safeguard jobs, industrial value creation, and Germany’s competitiveness as a business location.
VECTO (Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool) is a European Union calculation model that assigns a virtual CO₂ value to semi-trailers. It is based on Regulation (EU) 2024/1610, which stipulates that this simulated value must decrease by 10 per cent for semi-trailers and by 7.5 per cent for trailers by 2030.
Trailer OEMs say this stipulation creates a fundamental problem in that semi-trailers do not have any propulsion systems and do not generate any direct CO₂ emissions.
Therefore, they say the assessment is based on a simulation rather than on actual emissions measured during operation, ignoring physical limitations and the real-world transportation task.
According to Kögel, and all leading European trailer manufacturers, the required reduction targets cannot be achieved with the technical capabilities currently available. This would result in fines of up to 64 million euros per year for the company. To offset this burden, prices for semi-trailers could rise by up to 50 percent, Kögel says.
The consequences of such increases will be felt throughout the entire supply chain – from transportation companies to end consumers, the trailer OEM said.
It added that industry-wide, the impact is significantly greater: a total of around 70,000 jobs in the European trailer industry are affected by the consequences of the current regulation.
In recent years, Kögel has invested several million euros in its Burtenbach facility. These include the production line for a new refrigerated truck and the expansion of the plant grounds to accommodate an additional production hall.
It said these investments, and the long-term development of the site, are now at risk due to the economic consequences of the VECTO regulation.
Bavaria’s Deputy Minister-President, Huber Aiwanger, has a clear opinion on this: “The last thing the trailer and logistics industry needs in these times is additional burdens from unrealistic and excessive regulations from Brussels.
“Our companies must not be burdened unreasonably. Small and medium-sized enterprises in the industry do not have unlimited financial or technological resources to absorb nonsensical regulatory burdens at short notice.
“For them, the EU requirements for CO₂ reductions from trailers pose an acute threat to their economic survival—with direct consequences for thousands of jobs. Instead of looming fines, we need pragmatic and realistic solutions that deliver real CO₂ reductions.”
Eight European trailer manufacturers, including Kögel, have filed a lawsuit against the VECTO regulation. Their goal is to have the regulation revised in its current form. The lawsuit is not directed against climate protection, but against requirements that they consider unworkable.
“We’ve already done a lot in this regard. Our durable, lightweight vehicles have been contributing to reducing fuel consumption and, consequently, CO₂ emissions in the transportation sector,” said Kögel Trailer GmbH CEO, Markus Siegner.
“The current VECTO regulation ignores the realities of the transportation industry and puts companies like Kögel under immense pressure. We need pragmatic solutions that combine climate protection with competitiveness.”
With its symbolic SOS campaign in Burtenbach, Kögel is calling for a review of the VECTO regulation. In the company’s view, the support from Minister of State Hubert Aiwanger and the lawsuit filed by the eight manufacturers demonstrate the need for action.
Kögel said it remains committed to sustainability, climate-friendly transportation solutions, and innovation. However, it said that requires regulatory requirements that are technically feasible and economically viable.
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