You may have already heard about the sweeping changes to the German Maut from December 2023. If this news has escaped you, we are happy to inform you.
Table of contents
What is Maut again?
Maut is a toll system per kilometer driven for trucks of 12 tons or more, at least that’s how it is now… we’ll come back to this later. Maut or toll is levied in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Czech Republic and France. The costs depend on the number of axles of the truck combination and the emission standard of the engine. The cleaner, the lower the toll will be.
Maut in Germany
In Germany, the tolls are collected by Toll Collect. Countries have their own system, there is no harmonization. To simplify and speed up the collection of tolls, a built-in OBU (On-Board-Unit) can be used. This device automatically registers the number of kilometers subject to Maut and transmits them via a separate antenna to the tolling authority or agency, including Toll Collect.
The Big Change - CO2 Tax
From December 1, 2023, a separate CO2 tax of €200 per ton of CO₂ will be introduced. This measure will almost double the toll costs compared to the current situation. To give an example: the current Maut costs for a 40-ton Euro 6 truck are currently €0.19 per kilometer. From December 1, 2023, an additional €0.158 CO₂ tax will be added, bringing the total Maut rate to €0.348 per kilometer.
The German governing coalition presented its long-awaited modernization package for climate protection in March. Despite fierce protests from the German industry, the German cabinet approved the bill on June 14. The reforms will take effect on December 1, 2023. Specifically, this means, among other things, a doubling of the Maut. The additional toll revenues should mainly be invested in rail in the future. “That will also benefit the roads, which will be relieved by a shift to rail,” said German Transport Minister Wissing.
Dismay at industry association BGL
The German industry association for road hauliers BGL calls the measures a ‘senseless driver of inflation’. Because there are hardly any zero-emission trucks on the market and there is no associated refueling and charging infrastructure, a doubling of the toll is unavoidable. Consumers pay the bill for this. Many small and medium-sized enterprises fear having to give up their business because further price explosions are not feasible at the moment. Due to the price increases, companies will have to create more insight into their current and future expenses.
The new law still has to be approved by the German parliament this year. Since 2005, tolls have been levied on German highways for trucks from 7.5 tons. Revenues from toll collection in 2022 amounted to approximately 7.4 billion euros. Denmark will also start the truck levy in 2025.
What exactly is going to change?
Until November 30, 2023, the toll applies to vehicles with a permissible maximum weight of at least 7.5 tons, with the Euro class, the number of axles and the weight class determining the tariff criteria. The tariff criteria then include the CO₂ emission class of the vehicle, the number of axles and the contributions for noise pollution, air pollution and infrastructure.
It is important to know that from January 1, 2024, CNG and LNG vehicles will no longer be exempt from Maut. From July 1, 2024, vehicles with a technically permissible maximum weight of more than 3.5 tons (field F.2 on the registration certificate) will be subject to Maut, with the exception of craft vehicles.
Emission-free trucks are exempt from the levy until the end of 2025. After 2025, these vehicles will pay 25% of the regular rate, provided this plan is approved by the German parliament.
Particulate filter class (PFK) will be cancelled
Vehicles with a particulate filter class (PFK) will no longer be classified in a better environmental class from December 1, 2023. In the future, vehicles with the toll environmental classes ‘Euro 2 + PFK 1’ will fall into toll environmental class 2, no longer into toll environmental class 3. Vehicles with ‘Euro 3 + PFK 2’ fall into toll environmental class 3, no longer into toll environmental class 4. The new rate will be automatically invoiced.
Toll regulations for alternative drives
Trucks ex-factory equipped with CNG/LNG drive of the Euro environmental class 6 will be subject to toll in January 2024. Emission-free vehicles such as electric vehicles, vehicles with a hydrogen combustion engine and vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell remain exempt from toll until the end of 2025. From January 1, 2026, only 25 percent of the partial toll rate for infrastructure costs plus the partial toll rates for noise pollution and air pollution need to be paid for emission-free vehicles. Emission-free vehicles up to 4.25 tons technically permissible maximum weight are permanently exempt from the toll.
This cost increase will directly affect the rates of carriers affiliated with Cargors, please take this into account.
Situation in the Netherlands
The cabinet will introduce a kilometer charge for trucks from 2026 (truck charge). The levy replaces the existing truck taxes. From 2026, all commercial vehicles above 3.5 tons will pay for the use of the road. The annual expected revenues from the levy are approximately 256 million euros and flow back to the transport sector. These will be used to make the sector more sustainable, including for the transition to zero-emission road transport.
RAI Vereniging is positive that the Chamber is responding to its call to differentiate in the truck levy according to CO2 emissions so that zero-emission technologies are stimulated to the maximum. In the transition to zero-emission, however, other clean, economical technologies must also receive a degree of benefit so that entrepreneurs have more room for maneuver.
Bringing forward levy revenues
In the run-up to the debate, RAI Vereniging urged to bring forward the future planned revenues from the levy and thus ‘pre-finance’ it. This allows entrepreneurs to invest earlier in making the vehicle fleet more sustainable. At the request of a majority of the House of Representatives, the minister will now investigate this possibility. According to RAI Vereniging, this is important, among other things, because between 2025 and 2030 a large number of cities will switch to zero-emission city logistics zones. The investments for a zero-emission truck are easily three times higher than a normal diesel. The current existing subsidy schemes are insufficient to unlock the necessary large-scale investments by the sector and the revenues from the truck levy are crucial for this. According to TLN, around 12,000 electric trucks are needed in our country in 2025, including a good charging infrastructure to meet the objectives.
Research into charging infrastructure
RAI Vereniging is also pleased that the House of Representatives agrees with a motion for further research into the availability of sufficient charging and refueling infrastructure and electric trucks to supply zero-emission zones in the future. RAI Vereniging is not only concerned about the slow growth of zero-emission trucks, but also about the availability of sufficient robust charging and refueling infrastructure, including hydrogen. This is currently completely insufficient to meet future energy needs.
Conclusion
The changes to the German Maut from December 2023 are significant and will affect toll costs for trucks. With the introduction of a CO2 tax per ton of CO₂, the toll costs will almost double. This measure is intended to promote climate protection and encourage more investment in sustainable transport solutions. However, it has also led to opposition and concerns within the transport sector, especially among companies that do not yet have access to zero-emission trucks and infrastructure.
In the Netherlands, similar steps have been taken with the introduction of a kilometer charge for trucks from 2026, with the emphasis on stimulating zero-emission technologies. This is a step towards a more sustainable transport sector, but there are still challenges in terms of investment and infrastructure.
The coming years will be crucial for the transport sector in Germany and the Netherlands, as they adapt to these new toll and levy systems and strive for more environmentally friendly transport solutions.
