MAHLE supports technology-open climate protection in heavy-duty traffic

Stuttgart, February 14 2023

• European Commission plans to tighten existing CO₂ fleet limits for heavy commercial vehicles
• MAHLE considers the technology-open path necessary to achieve climate targets more quickly
• Hydrogen as a green energy source makes an important contribution
• MAHLE CEO Arnd Franz: “Transportation sector as a pillar of the national economy must be transformed in an affordable and climate-effective way”

In view of the plans presented today by the European Commission for a revision of the EU regulation on future CO₂fleet limits for heavy commercial vehicles, MAHLE is advocating climate protection that is open to all technologies. All climate-neutral technologies are necessary to achieve climate goals more quickly and effectively while accommodating the diversity of applications of modern transportation on the road. MAHLE, therefore, welcomes the proposal of the EU Commission, according to which hydrogen should also play a more vital role as a green energy source in addition to battery technology.

“Commercial vehicles are a fundamental pillar of our prosperity,” said Arnd Franz, Chairman of the MAHLE Management Board and CEO of MAHLE. “The diversity of applications requires individual technical solutions on the way to carbon neutrality. For that, we need innovative competition and not ideologically driven technology specifications.”

Under the EU Commission’s proposals, the existing CO₂ fleet limits for heavy commercial vehicles are to be extended and tightened. In addition, CO₂ emissions are to be reduced by 90 percent by 2040.

MAHLE is concerned that the EU Commission is not considering renewable synthetic fuels as a solution. Particularly with regard to the existing fleet, the potential for accelerating the reduction of CO₂ emissions is being wasted here. The company encourages the EU institutions to advocate technology openness and broad solution space in the legislative process that now follows in order to enable all options for accelerated climate protection.

MAHLE stands for comprehensive climate protection through carbon-neutral drive solutions in road traffic, not only in passenger cars but also in the commercial vehicle sector. The technology group supports the EU Commission’s goal of a climate-neutral economy in 2050 and the associated reworking of the CO₂ fleet targets for heavy commercial vehicles. E-mobility will play a key role in this.

MAHLE already offers system solutions in the areas of drive systems, thermal management, and charging infrastructure, for example. One of the latest product innovations is the new SCT electric motor (Superior Continuous Torque), which enables extremely high continuous power. In addition to the battery-electric drive, MAHLE is also advancing its technologies for hydrogen use. In addition to innovative fuel cell technologies, the group presented a high-pressure impactor which, in connection with new engine components, enables highly efficient hydrogen engines.