Traveling through Germany? Since December 1 2023, tolls on German roads have been linked to the level of CO₂ emissions. In July, the second wave of this regulation will take effect. Is your fleet about to be impacted, and you’re unsure how to prepare? Don’t worry: we’ve got the answers you need to balance this cost. 

Since 2005, trucks weighing more than 7.5 tonnes have been subjected to tolls on German roads. Still, one-third of CO₂ emissions in the German transport sector originate from commercial vehicles. In response, the German government introduced an additional CO₂ toll at the end of 2023. This toll is meant to speed up the transition to a more sustainable transportation sector.

The new toll adds a fee of €200 per tonne of CO2 emitted by the truck. That means toll costs for fleets could nearly double in the coming year alone. The calculation of tolls broadens to four components:
 

• Infrastructure costs
• Noise pollution costs
• Air pollution costs
• CO₂ emissions cost

The first wave of the toll only impacted vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes, but the second and third waves will broaden the applicability of the regulation.

Some dates to mark in your agenda:
 

• December 1st, 2023: toll applies to vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes.

• July 1st, 2024: toll applies to vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes.

• January 1st, 2026: toll applies to emission-free Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDVs).
  They will pay 25% of the infrastructure, noise pollution, and air pollution costs. 

 Don’t wait too long to update your vehicle information, and do it right. If you forgot or registered in the wrong class, you’ll pay the highest toll rate.

To determine the correct classification of your vehicle, you need:

- Registration certificate part 1 (ZB)
- Customer information from the vehicle manufacturer (CIF) 

- Certificate of Conformity from the vehicle manufacturer (COC)

For the second wave of vehicles, those weighing over 3.5 tonnes, this needs to be done before June 30th, 2024.  The weight class is no longer based on the maximum permissible total weight, but on the technical permissible total mass of the tractor and, if applicable, the trailer. As a result, your vehicles might end up in a higher weight class than before.

You can check your CO₂ emission class using the online tools of TollCollect, the truck toll system of the German government. Just provide all your vehicle details, and it will display your emission class.

Certain vehicles qualify for a more favorable emission class. This applies to
- Vehicles registered as of July 1, 2019
- Euro 6 vehicles and natural gas-powered vehicles, under certain conditions
 

More information can be found here.

Now that you know the classification of your vehicle, you can estimate your upcoming toll costs. You can do this via online tools, such as the calculator provided by TollCollect.

Let’s talk numbers. We’ve calculated the additional costs for a long-haul fleet of vehicles weighing more than 18 tonnes with five axles or more. 

The new measures raise the toll from 19 cents to 34.8 cents per kilometer, a difference of 15.8 cents. Considering that long-haul vehicles typically drive up to 80,000 miles on toll roads, the additional toll cost per vehicle amounts to €12,640 per year.

Flabbergasted by the extra costs this toll imposes on your fleet? Unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid them. But you can balance the cost in other ways: by saving on fuel, reducing administrative costs, and managing your fleet more efficiently.

There are also certain steps you can take to get a more favourable classification for your vehicle. One of these is the use of fuel-efficient tyres, such as the Fuelmax Endurance or the Fuelmax Performance. You’ll save on fuel, and avoid the highest toll - a double win for your fleet.

We aim for our publications to be as accurate as possible, but they do not constitute legal or technical or professional advice. Please seek professional advice before taking any action. 

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