ACEA Heavy-Duty Vehicle Local Content Requirements Policy View

On January 20, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association released guidelines and policy advice focused on heavy-duty vehicles, highlighting how new local content requirements raise critical considerations for European truck and bus manufacturers.
Modern heavy-duty vehicles increasingly depend on advanced software, vehicle connectivity, and complex powertrain systems, all supported by highly integrated and global supply chains. Any local content framework, ACEA notes, must reflect this complexity and avoid uniform approaches that fail to account for different technologies and production models.
Purpose of ACEA Heavy-Duty Vehicle Local Content Requirements
The association emphasizes that the primary objective of local content requirements should be to reinforce Europe’s industrial base and improve long-term resilience. This goal must be balanced with the need to preserve fair competition across the entire automotive supply chain.
Local content rules can play a role in strengthening competitiveness, but ACEA stresses they should be implemented alongside broader measures, including:

• Competitive and predictable energy costs

• Skilled workforce development

• Adequate transport and charging infrastructure

• Clear and supportive regulatory frameworks

Without these supporting policies, local content requirements alone may not deliver the intended industrial benefits.
Industry Expectations on Local Content Rules
From an industry perspective, ACEA highlights that local content requirements must remain practical and adaptable. The guidelines recommend applying such requirements at the vehicle or fleet level rather than to individual components, allowing manufacturers greater flexibility in sourcing and production decisions.
The association also underlines the importance of clearly recognizing EU-based research, development, and software activities when calculating local content. To ensure smooth implementation, ACEA calls for rules that are simple, transparent, and fully aligned with existing European Union legislation.
Timing Considerations for Trucks and Buses
For trucks, ACEA advises that local content requirements should be introduced gradually and not before 2030. This timeline is intended to align with long investment cycles and the rollout of new zero-emission technologies across the heavy-duty segment.
In the case of buses, the association acknowledges that earlier application may be feasible due to the role of public procurement. However, it stresses that flexibility must still be preserved to avoid disrupting innovation and market competition while supporting Europe’s transition to cleaner mobility.