Electric lorries toll-free until 2031: up to 40,000 euro a year in Germany
The European Parliament has agreed to extend the road toll exemption for electric lorries to 30 June 2031. Poland does not apply such a relief.
In Germany, an electric lorry can save up to 40,000 euro a year in road tolls. The European Parliament has just agreed to extend the toll exemption for electric lorries to 30 June 2031, more than five years longer than originally planned.
Why this change matters
- Electric lorries are selling very poorly, mainly because of their high price (up to 250,000 euro more than diesels).
- The toll exemption is a real incentive: in Germany it can mean savings of up to 40,000 euro a year.
- Extending the relief is an attempt to save the shift of transport towards electromobility.
Poland without a relief
The fact that the EU allows exemptions does not mean every country has to introduce them. Poland has not implemented such a relief so far, and nothing suggests it plans to do so in the near future.
What next
A vote in the Council of the EU is still ahead. If everything goes according to plan, the new rules will enter into force shortly.
Are toll exemptions enough of an impetus for heavy transport to go electric? What would you decide if it were up to you to introduce such reliefs in Poland?