Road transport is the most prioritised area to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, according to leading e-commerce and manufacturing companies in Europe. A new report carried out by market research company Ipsos and vehicle manufacturer Volvo Trucks shows that companies are willing to pay more for transport suppliers with lower CO₂ emissions.

On behalf of Volvo Trucks Ipsos interviewed 100 large e-commerce and manufacturing companies in eight European countries about their demand for fossil fuel free transports in future procurements. The countries included in the survey were the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway.

The survey – conducted in June 2022 – included interviews with 100 professionals at senior level, typically responsible for procurement, logistics, supply chain management and sustainability.

The vast majority of these companies have set targets to reduce their climate footprint. 78% of those interviewed say that they are willing to pay more for a transport supplier with little or no CO₂ emissions and 85% are prepared to change transport suppliers if they do not meet their requirements.

The research also shows a clear connection between their future business opportunities and fossil fuel free transport options. About 60% of companies believe they risk losing customers within the next three years if they can not meet their consumer’s demand for About deliveries with little or zero CO₂ emissions.

“It’s very positive to see this big push for fossil free truck transports. It means that we will see a massive shift in the industry in the coming years. We believe that electrification will be the key driver towards zero emission road transports and we are proud to already offer fully electric truck alternatives for most assignments. Going electric means more business opportunities”, says Volvo Trucks President Roger Alm.

Volvo Trucks has set a global target that in 2030, 50% of all new trucks sold will be battery or fuel cell electric. The transition to electric is being led by Europe and North America where targets are even higher. For example, in Europe the ambition currently sits at around 70% for all new trucks sold in 2030.