VCP CO2 emissions: 2025 results and achievable targets

Context

In brief

• From 2025, CO2 regulations for new heavy commercial vehicles in Switzerland
• Electric VCP quota: 20.8%, well above the European average
• One fine among 13 major importers: 303,000 CHF goes to FOSTRA

Key facts

• What: CO2 emission regulations for newly registered VCP
• When: 2025, first year of application
• Where: Switzerland and Principality of Liechtenstein
• Who: 13 major importers (fleet ≥5 vehicles) + small importers
• VCP registered: approximately 6,300 in Switzerland, 30 in Liechtenstein (2,000 under regulations)
• Electric VCP quota: 20.8% of newly registered fleet
• Total fines: approximately 303,000 CHF (1 importer out of 13)

Bern, September 3, 2026 — The Swiss Federal Administration has published the first results of the application of CO2 emission regulations for new heavy commercial vehicles (VCP). The balance is encouraging: in 2025, importers achieved the vast majority of their environmental targets, thus containing the total fines to approximately 303,000 francs. A result that reflects the commitment of the transport sector towards sustainable mobility and a much higher quota of fully electric vehicles compared to the European average.

In 2025, approximately 6,300 heavy commercial vehicles were registered for the first time in Switzerland, of which approximately 2,000 fall within the scope of the new CO2 emission regulations. In the Principality of Liechtenstein, VCP registrations amounted to around 30 vehicles. Among the importers, 13 large operators (with a fleet of at least five vehicles) brought approximately 1,950 vehicles to market, while around fifty small importers distributed the remaining ones. This fragmented segment illustrates how the Swiss VCP market remains concentrated on a limited number of large players, who ensure more agile regulatory compliance.

The Swiss push towards electric

What is positively surprising is the very high penetration of fully electric vehicles: approximately one in five newly registered VCP (20.8%) was fully electric in 2025. This is a percentage well above the European average, a sign that Switzerland is at the forefront of the transition to zero-emission fleets. This technological push has allowed several importers to remain well below the threshold represented by their average CO2 emission targets. Of the 13 major importers, only one failed to meet the set target and therefore paid a fine. The total amount of this fine is approximately 303,000 francs, a figure that goes to the National Roads and Agglomeration Traffic Fund (FOSTRA), used to finance transport infrastructure and sustainable mobility interventions in Swiss infrastructure.

The containment of fines is the direct result of importers' ability to quickly adapt to regulations that rewarded technological innovation. The vast majority of companies anticipated the transition to more efficient and, where possible, fully electric vehicles, turning a regulatory constraint into a competitive advantage in the European market.

Operational details

The impact on the competitiveness of Swiss logistics

The CO2 emission regulations for VCP represent a strategic challenge for the entire logistics and freight transport ecosystem in Switzerland. Unlike in other European countries, where vehicle manufacturers have had more time to adapt, Swiss importers have moved quickly, driven by both regulations and the increasing availability of battery-powered technological solutions. This ability to adapt is crucial to maintaining Switzerland's international competitiveness as a logistics and transit hub in the heart of Europe. Transport companies operating in Switzerland face different operational costs depending on their fleet. Fully electric vehicles, although having a higher purchase cost compared to traditional internal combustion engines, offer significant savings in fuel and maintenance costs in the long term. This economic element is not marginal: a company investing in an electric fleet reduces annual operating costs, which translates into more competitive transport prices and potentially wider margins. The reduction in operating costs for those choosing sustainable vehicles represents a natural incentive that goes beyond mere regulatory compliance.

How regulations reshape the supply chain

The regulations do not only concern importers but indirectly affect the entire ecosystem. Major logistics operators purchasing VCP from the 13 main importers benefit from a greater availability of efficient and sustainable models. At the same time, regulatory pressure encourages international commercial vehicle manufacturers to develop and offer zero or low-emission models, accelerating global innovation. Switzerland, with its ambitious regulations and concrete results by 2025, becomes a pilot market for clean technologies that then spread to other European countries. The issue of costs, however, remains central. Even if a transport company benefits economically from the adoption of electric VCP in the medium to long term, the initial investment is significant and requires access to favorable credit. Federal regulations do not include direct subsidies to transporters; however, the containment of fines (only 303,000 CHF in total for the entire sector in 2025) demonstrates that the market can self-regulate when regulatory incentives are well calibrated. Discover how environmental regulations impact corporate strategy and sustainable compliance opportunities for transport companies.

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Key points

How the control and sanction system works

The control mechanism for CO2 prescriptions for VCP is structured around two pillars: monitoring new registrations and calculating the weighted average of emissions for each importer. Each importer must maintain an average CO2 emission below a specific target, determined based on the average mass of vehicles introduced to the market. This system, known as the average approach, allows flexibility: those who introduce highly efficient vehicles and various electric models can compensate for any vehicles with slightly higher emissions, as long as the average remains within the set limit.

In the first year of application (2025), out of 13 major importers, only one did not stay below the set target. This importer had to pay a penalty proportional to the target exceeded. The total amount of penalties, approximately 303,000 francs, was fully paid into the National Roads and Agglomeration Traffic Fund (FOSTRA). The same mechanism applies to penalties for cars and light commercial vehicles, creating a coherent system of public funding for mobility and transport infrastructure at the national level.

The role of FOSTRA and the use of funds

FOSTRA represents the most direct fiscal-environmental recycling mechanism in Switzerland: the proceeds from environmental non-compliance penalties are reinvested in transport infrastructure and projects that reduce congestion and improve regional and national mobility. In 2025, the first year of application, the amount contributed was modest (303,000 CHF), both because the market adapted effectively and because the share of electric VCP exceeded expectations. If this trend continues, it is likely that the proceeds will remain contained, a sign that the regulation is positively incentivizing the sector's behavior towards sustainability.

For transport companies that purchase VCP from these importers, the message is clear: compliance with CO2 prescriptions is guaranteed if they choose suppliers operating within the Swiss regulatory framework. Any VCP registered in Switzerland from 2025 onwards from a regular importer complies ipso facto with federal prescriptions. No additional company-level control is necessary; the responsibility for compliance lies entirely with the grantor (the importer). Evaluate the environmental and financial impact of your commercial fleet strategy: use our calculator to estimate costs and benefits of transitioning to sustainable VCP.

Source: admin.ch