European automotive logistics leaders discuss turning energy crisis into decarbonisation opportunity for finished vehicle logistics

Every crisis is an opportunity – that was the message that Wolfgang Göbel, president of the Association of European Vehicle Logistics (ECG) as the organisation held its European Parliament Dinner Debate on May 5, 2026. While discussing how different stakeholders can support an industry-wide green transition, automotive and logistics leaders called for industry-wide collaboration to decarbonise finished vehicle logistics.

“The main challenge is to achieve the transition as quickly and effectively as possible, but without creating unnecessary burdens through additional regulation or quota proposals that do not reflect operational realities,” Frank Schnelle, executive director of ECG, stated. “At the same time, strengthening resilience must be part of the equation. Only if shippers, logistics providers and vehicle manufacturers act in a coordinated way can the transition succeed.”

He emphasised that as of today, less than 1% of trucks in the finished vehicle logistics industry are electric, noting that charging infrastructure remains a major challenge, even with the rollout of the Trans-European Transport Network.

At the debate, which was hosted by Beatrice Timgren, member of the ECR Group and the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, ECG called for a framework that “prioritises simplification, consistency and common standards” to support the sector’s electrification transition whilst maintaining operational stability.

“ECG has developed concrete enablers for decarbonisation in cooperation with academia, which provide transparency on the costs of reducing emissions, as well as the Emissions Calculation and Reporting Guideline,” Schnelle shared. “These tools support companies in taking informed and practical steps.”

What did MEPs have to say at the debate?

The dinner debate was hosted by member of the European Parliament (MEP) Beatrice Timgren – a member of the ECR and the ENVI Committee with a background in automotive logistics. Having worked for Scania before entering politics, she shared how that experience left her with " a deep sense of respect" for the people who design, build, operate and finance heavy vehicles.

"A truck can be many things: advanced, expensive and/or impressive, but never theoretical – it runs or it does not, the business case works or it does not," said Timgren. "That is a lesson we should remember when we talk about road transport decarbonisation. How can we cut emissions while strengthening Europe's industry?"

She explained her view that industrial competitiveness should be at the heart of decarbonisation, not separate from it. Being pro-business is not being anti-climate," she stated. "In fact, it is the only way to make climate policy succeed in European companies."

Timgren asserted that micromanaging the decarbonisation of the industry from Brussels is not the way to achieve its sustainability goals. "Europe does not need a common and controlled transition," she said. "It needs a market-led transition supported by the infrastructure, clear rules and competitive conditions being proved."

Also at the event, MEP Niels Flemming Hansen highlighted the need to take SMEs into account when designing policy. "There is a paradox," he said. "99% of the companies in Europe are SMEs, but 100% of the system is not built for the them. Which, if you think about it, is a bit like designing a highway and then forgetting that most of the vehicles actually using it."

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The OEM perspective

Levent Yuksel, freight operations director at Jaguar Land Rover, reiterated the perspective he shared at ALSC Europe in March, that the whole industry must come together and collaborate closely in order to accelerate decarbonisation in automotive logistics.

He shared his view that the green transition must be delivered hand-in-hand with industrial strength, resilience and global competitiveness, not at the expense of them.

Yuksel highlighted some of the projects JLR has launched to further its decarbonisation efforts, from EV trials to HVO bunkerage. He emphasised the need for green corridors spanning land and sea across Europe to increase the viability of sustainable logistics throughout the continent.

He also noted how bureaucratic and infrastructural barriers have held back rail’s potential as a mode of transport, saying that when it comes to automotive logistics in Europe, the infrastructure is misaligned to the reality.

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"My partner's problems are my problems, because we want to progress in this journey together," said Yuksel, further emphasising the critical role collaboration will play in the future of decarbonisation. "To progress in sustainability, all parties need to play a role."

Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO at MAN Truck & Bus, noted that “times have changed” since the Paris Agreement on climate change was signed over a decade ago, highlighting the deprioritisation of climate change on the agendas of countries like the US and Russia.

However, he noted that China’s commitment to green transport has remained, not least because it continues to be a solid business case for the country’s strong base as a manufacturer of new energy vehicles.

A common theme of the debate, which Vlaskamp touched on, was the need for policy to support the funding of charging infrastructure for electric trucks, if more are to be added to fleets to replace diesel vehicles. “The challenge is not the equipment, it’s the connection to the grid,” remarked Vlaskamp.

He called for the industry to “walk the talk” and for companies to be realistic about their decarbonisation journeys. Highlighting the need to accelerate the electrification of fleets, he claimed that even if the blockages in Strait of Hormuz were removed and energy prices dropped, they would rise again to today's levels over time as a result of upcoming changes to regulation.

Also taking part in the debate, Jessica Sandström, senior vice president of product management at Volvo Trucks, described the green transition as an inevitability, but the pace at which it will happen is the variable providing uncertainty today.

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"When it comes to policy, you need to simplify and also support," she said on how policymakers can make the transition easier for the industry.

She also reiterated the importance of collaboration, saying that only by sharing and having open dialogues can the industry find the additional possibilities, business cases and values it needs. She touched on how the energy crisis resulting from conflict in the Middle East can act as a catalyst for open communication.

"I think that we as Europe need to take this crisis as an opportunity to really strengthen our industry because we know that when the policy and the industry are aligned, we will learn something together and that is really a great path to continue to work for a competitive Europe that will turn this work on sustainability into our next selling point and our next uniqueness in the world," Sandström stated.

However, some in the debate argued that while the industry needs the support of politicians, it cannot afford to wait for guidance from Brussels before taking action.

One ECG member shared his experience in the Netherlands, where 10% of trucks on the road are already electric. He predicted that in two to five years, there will be a turning point where electric trucks become more cost-efficient than diesel trucks and encouraged logistics companies to "have the faith" to adopt them now. "Forget all these regulations, just start," he urged.

This sentiment was echoed by others in the room, who recognised that "energy is not endless" and with electric trucks using one fifth of the energy that diesel vehicles consume, the business case is already there, firms just have to take the initiative and be brave enough to do it.