With the new round of the Dutch AanZET subsidy now open, the electrification of heavy-duty road transport is getting another push. It is badly needed. Many carriers still underestimate how fast and how fundamentally the sector is about to change. Decarbonisation requires uncomfortable strategic choices: invest, cooperate, or outsource. Companies without a strategy risk being pushed out of the market within the next four years.
A recent visit by Topsector Logistiek to DAF Trucks highlighted the scale of the challenge. To meet EU CO2 rules, DAF must reach 30% electric truck sales by 2035, while the Dutch market is at roughly 7% in 2025. Meanwhile, the Dutch government aims to achieve climate-neutral freight by 2050. Zero-emission zones, procurement requirements, ETS2 (2027), and road pricing (2026) will make diesel structurally more expensive. For many carriers, this means 6–11% higher costs in a sector with margins of just 1–2%.
Shippers will become more demanding. Why do costs rise at one carrier while others have been using subsidies and support schemes for years? Front-runners demonstrate what is possible. Simon Loos has used AanZET from day one. Fleet manager Wim Roks told Dutch media: “You’re leaving money on the table if you don’t participate.” Today 10% of their fleet is electric, and his warning is blunt: “If you don’t do this now, you won’t be relevant in a few years.”
The transition is not a simple diesel-out, battery-in swap. Electrification affects charging capacity, energy supply, grid congestion, depot layouts, route planning, drivers, and higher vehicle utilisation. Large carriers benefit from scale and mileage, while smaller operators struggle with complexity. The level playing field is gone. The sector is moving toward consolidation: those who invest will stay in the game; those who don’t will exit.
Between 2026 and 2030, the sector will hit a tipping point: cleaner, smarter, and more strategic. AanZET is not “free money” but a reality check. Many firms still believe electric trucks are too expensive, unreliable, or unavailable. That myth leads to delay, while regulation, customers, and cost structures are shifting fast.
Studies show that companies that do electrify can do so cost-effectively, provided they approach the transition broadly: not just ordering vehicles, but redesigning planning, energy, charging, training, and workflows. AH Home Delivery is a strong example: by optimising routes, charging, and depot operations, it now delivers electrically in several regions, including Amsterdam.
The operational starting point is simple: analyse your routes. Calculate daily energy needs, time windows, and reduction potential. And remember: the cheapest energy is the energy you do not use, including fewer vehicles and fewer kilometres.
Walther Ploos van Amstel