Road transport: Reducing CO₂ emissions from vehicles

CO₂ emission performance standards for cars and vans

Passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (vans) are respectively responsible for around 16% and 3% of total EU emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the main greenhouse gas driving climate change.

Reducing CO₂ emissions from heavy-duty vehicles

Find out what the EU is doing to tackle CO₂ emissions from lorries, buses and coaches.

Vehicle Energy Consumption calculation TOol - VECTO

Learn more about VECTO, our simulation software to determine CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption of heavy-duty vehicles.

Car labelling

To help drivers choose new cars with low fuel consumption, EU countries are required to ensure that relevant information is provided to...

In 2020, road transport contributed to 24% of the EU's total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the main greenhouse gas.

Light-duty vehicles

Light-duty vehicles (passenger cars and vans) produce around 15% of the EU’s CO₂ emissions.

Regulation (EU) 2019/631 sets binding CO₂ emission targets for the new car and van fleets, which were updated in April 2023 to bring them in line with the EU’s 2030 and 2050 climate objectives.

CO₂ labelling of cars

To help drivers choose new cars with low fuel consumption, EU legislation requires Member States to ensure that relevant information is provided to consumers, including a label showing a car's fuel efficiency and CO₂ emissions.

Heavy-duty vehicles

Heavy-duty vehicles – trucks and buses – are responsible for more than a quarter of CO₂ emissions from road transport in the EU, and for 6% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions.

On 20 June 2019, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a Regulation setting CO₂ emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles, with targets for reducing the average emissions from new lorries for 2025 and 2030.

Fuel quality

Fuel quality is an important element in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport. EU legislation requires the greenhouse gas intensity of vehicle fuels to be cut by up to 6% by 2020.

Links to related EU policies

European Commission priorities: European Green Deal
DG Climate Action: Climate Law and 2030 Climate Target Plan
DG Mobility and Transport: Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy
DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs: Industrial Policy and Automotive Emissions

Studies

Click on the + signs for more information.

The information and views set out in the reports and studies published below are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission. The Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in these reports and studies. Neither the Commission nor any person acting on the Commission’s behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Year	Study
2023	Further development and update of VECTO with new technologies report
2022	VECTO extension to hybrids and further technical support report
2020	Determining the environmental impacts of conventional and alternatively fuelled vehicles through LCA 1. Main report Accompanying documents 2. Summary of the Delphi Survey Round 1 Responses (Appendix A2.1 to the report) 3. Summary of the Delphi Survey Round 2 Responses (Appendix A2.2 to the report) 4. Critical Review report Results viewer: 5a. Introduction 5b. Results viewer