Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Daimler Truck has both negative and positive engagement with transport climate policy in the EU and US in 2023-25. The company appears to have opposed policies promoting a transition towards zero-emission trucks in the US, both at the federal and state level, and in the EU. More positively, Daimler Truck has advocated for measures to support EV infrastructure expansion.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Daimler Truck stated support for the goals of the Paris Climate agreement on its corporate website, accessed in January 2025. In a September 2024 Transport Topics article, Daimler Truck CEO Karin Radstrom called on governments to increase the ambition of climate policies to decarbonize road transport
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: In the US, in a May 2023 consultation response, Daimler Truck appeared to generally support the EPA's “Phase 3” heavy-duty GHG emission standards with minor exceptions, including conditions around charging infrastructure. However, in a June 2023 consultation response it called for the EPA's proposed "Phase 3" GHG emission standards to be delayed by 2 years, as well as advocating for increased flexibilities in the program. After the rule’s finalization, Daimler Truck North America issued a March 2024 statement that was supportive of the rule and changes that reduced stringency in earlier years.
In the EU, Daimler Truck advocated to advance the review of the EU’s CO2 targets for heavy-duty vehicles, and proposed linking the targets to infrastructure expansion in a February 2025 press release. However, more positively, in a November 2023 LinkedIn post, a Daimler Truck senior executive opposed the proposed introduction of a Carbon Correction Factor (CCF) mechanism in the EU's heavy-duty CO2 emission standards, which would likely weaken the policy by including "low-carbon fuels" in the compliance assessment. Daimler Truck also supported the EU’s CO2 emissions reduction targets for heavy-duty vehicles in an October 2023 press release, and was supportive of a 100% zero emission vehicle sales mandate for city buses, but not for coaches.
Positioning on Energy Transition: In the US, Daimler Truck appeared to oppose the start of the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, a zero-emissions vehicle sales mandate, in Oregon in a January 2025 statement appearing in FreightWaves. Previously, Daimler Truck entered the Clean Trucks Partnership with California regulators and agreed to be neutral in advocacy on the rule. More positively, the company also supported government investment in infrastructure for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles in a May 2024 response to a request for information posted by the Federal Highway Administration, and in a January 2024 regulatory comment on the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
When engaging with US federal policies to decarbonize road transport, Daimler Truck advocated for mandated ZEV deployment ambition levels to be tied to infrastructure in a May 2023 consultation response. In a June 2023 consultation response, it appeared to oppose ZEV sales mandates generally, and emphasized numerous challenges associated with a ZEV transition.
Daimler’s CEO Karin Radstrom has extensively advocated for government support for charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles in the EU. In September 2024 statements, Radstrom advocated for the government to create “a framework that advances and incentivizes investment in electric vehicles and infrastructure.” Radstrom further advocated for government support for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in September 2024 statements in Electrive, while Daimler Truck North America CEO John O’Leary appeared supportive of ZEV charging infrastructure deployment in September 2024 statements in a press release.
Industry Association Governance: Daimler Truck has not published a complete disclosure of its industry association memberships, not has it published a review of its alignment with its industry associations. Daimler Truck is a member of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, which has negatively engaged with GHG emissions standards and zero-emissions vehicle mandates in the US.