De-Carb Coalition

E.ON, H&M Group, Scania and Siemens have formed a coalition in order to “accelerate the decarbonisation of heavy transport”.

In a statement issued last week, the coalition said: “Reaching the Paris climate target requires fully decarbonising heavy commercial transport. Getting there no later than 2050 is not only possible but also financially attractive from a societal perspective.”

The companies said that the starting point for their coalition is The Pathways Study: Achieving fossil-free commercial transport by 2050, which said that fossil-free commercial transport in the timeframe of the Paris agreement target, is definitely possible – but in order to get there industry and the political arena must come together, initiate immediate change and ensure action at an unprecedented rate.

The companies said that they will aim to “identify high impact innovation and partnerships within their operations and respective ecosystems”.

Henrik Henriksson, Scania’s President and CEO, commented: “The past years have shown that the shift to sustainable commercial transport is gathering pace and the market is responding. However, much more must be done to offset the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. No one can do this alone, but through cooperation we can succeed. That is why the foundation that we are laying with this coalition of the willing is a very important step that demonstrates how we will be driving change.”

Ulf Troedsson, President and CEO of Siemens Nordics, explained why his company has joined the initiative: “What we are announcing today is a stepping stone for further and deeper knowledge about the global decarbonisation of heavy commercial transport. However, it is already now clear that infrastructure for electrification of heavy vehicles is a key part of this journey. It is therefore a very good fit for Siemens to join the group of companies willing to influence and committed to making this happen.”