News item | 05-04-2023 | 12:22
In the near future, some 400 new emission-free trucks will hit the road in our country. Battery or hydrogen electric. This is partly thanks to a scheme with which entrepreneurs can receive a subsidy for the purchase of a clean truck (AanZET). The subsidy scheme was so popular that the total budget for 2023 was oversubscribed in one day. This means that more money has been requested than is available this year. More than €120 million in subsidies were requested.
Responsible State Secretary Heijnen (Infrastructure and Water Management): “It is great that there is so much willingness in the sector to switch to an emission-free truck. Dutch entrepreneurs are well on their way when it comes to making their fleet more sustainable, and I am genuinely proud of that. At the same time, I see that the will to switch with a subsidy is greater than the budget I have. That’s why I’m going to see if I can make extra money available for this. Because every clean kilometer we now make is pure profit as far as I’m concerned”.
Switching with subsidy works
An emission-free truck is much more expensive to purchase than a diesel-powered truck. That is why entrepreneurs can receive up to 60% of the additional cost in subsidy and tax benefits. To give SMEs an extra helping hand, small entrepreneurs receive a higher subsidy percentage than large companies.
This year, a total of 30 million euros was available. This will put some 400 new clean trucks on the road. These are battery and hydrogen-electric trucks.
A helping hand for entrepreneurs
From January 1, 2025, cities may introduce zero-emission zones. These are areas in and around city centers where all new trucks and delivery vans will be emission-free from 2025 onwards. National transition periods of a maximum of five years apply to existing delivery vans and trucks.
In addition, a number of exceptions apply to special vehicles for which there is not yet a zero-emission alternative. The government also makes subsidies available. Not only for the purchase of trucks, but also for delivery vans (the SEBA).
Subsidy schemes for public and private logistics charging infrastructure are expected to be opened in early 2024.
Clean Air
28 cities have already indicated that they will introduce a zero-emission zone. The aim of this policy is to make cities more liveable and the air cleaner and to reduce emissions by 1 megaton of CO2 every year from 2025. That is important for the climate.