Switzerland phases out electric and hydrogen truck discounts as new toll system prepares for 2031

Switzerland is preparing to bring battery-electric and hydrogen-powered trucks into its heavy vehicle charging regime from 2031, ending the current exemption and replacing it with a phased-in discount that will be removed entirely by 2036. The change follows the Swiss parliament’s final approval on 2 October of the revised Heavy Vehicle Fee Act, a move that marks the close of parliamentary deliberations and sets the stage for the country’s Federal Council to draft the detailed implementing rules, according to Electrive and official parliamentary material.

The heavy vehicle fee, known as the LSVA, applies across the Swiss road network rather than just motorways, and is calculated on the basis of factors including distance travelled, gross weight and emissions class. Switzerland’s customs authority says the levy covers heavy goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, while a separate exemption continues for emission-free delivery vans weighing up to 4.25 tonnes because of the extra mass of the drivetrain. Until the end of 2030, electric and hydrogen trucks will remain outside the LSVA, but from 2031 they will begin paying the charge, albeit on preferential terms at first.

The discount will start at 70 per cent in 2031 and then narrow year by year, falling to 50 per cent in 2032, 30 per cent in 2033, 20 per cent in 2034 and 10 per cent in 2035 before disappearing altogether in 2036, according to the published summaries of the legislation. Swiss lawmakers have argued that the fee should not be permanently tied to a vehicle’s powertrain or fuel type, in part because a drivetrain-specific system would be cumbersome to administer. For haulage operators, however, the shift removes an important financial incentive that has supported the transition to zero-emission fleets.

The reform goes beyond zero-emission vehicles. Euro 6 lorries, which dominate the current fleet, will move out of the cheapest charging band and into the second-lowest category, alongside newly introduced Euro 7 vehicles. For Euro 7 trucks, temporary discounts are expected until 2035, although the precise tariff structure has yet to be fixed. The parliament also agreed that any future reclassification of vehicles within the LSVA bands must be announced seven years in advance, a compromise intended to give operators greater certainty when planning purchases and repayment schedules.

Transport industry groups have long pressed for that kind of visibility. ASTAG, the Swiss commercial vehicle association, has stressed that toll changes can materially affect the economics of vehicles with long amortisation periods. Meanwhile, Swissinfo and the Federal Assembly’s own news service noted that the government’s wider goal is to ensure heavy traffic continues to cover its costs while reinforcing the shift from road to rail. They also pointed to the strain on the current system: the target of no more than 650,000 trucks crossing the Alps by 2018 was missed by a wide margin, with the figure reaching 916,000 in 2023 and 960,000 in 2024, while around 90 per cent of heavy vehicles now sit in the lowest-cost category.

Although the legal overhaul has now been approved, several crucial details remain unresolved. The Federal Council must still adjust the implementing ordinance, including the exact LSVA rates and the final classification of vehicle types, which leaves some room for manoeuvre in how Euro 7 trucks are treated. The reform also cannot take effect immediately, because an optional referendum period must first run its course.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

Verification / Sources

• https://www.electrive.com/2026/10/06/switzerland-to-introduce-toll-for-e-trucks-in-2031-initially-with-a-discount/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
• https://www.electrive.com/2026/10/06/switzerland-to-introduce-toll-for-e-trucks-in-2031-initially-with-a-discount/ – Switzerland is reforming its heavy vehicle fee system. On 2 October, the National Council and the Council of States adopted the revision of the Heavy Vehicle Fee Act in the final vote, concluding parliamentary deliberations. The performance-based heavy vehicle fee (LSVA) is a toll that generally applies to goods transport vehicles with a permissible gross weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes. A special rule applies to emission-free delivery vans: if their gross weight, due to the additional weight of the emission-free drivetrain, is at most 4.25 tonnes, they remain exempt from the LSVA. The LSVA must be paid for the use of the entire Swiss road network. The toll therefore applies not only to motorways but also to ordinary main and secondary roads. The amount of the LSVA depends, among other factors, on the distance travelled, the permissible gross weight, and the emission class. For battery-electric trucks and hydrogen-powered trucks, the full LSVA exemption will remain in place until the end of 2030. From 2031, these vehicles will also become subject to the fee, effectively introducing an e-truck toll in Switzerland. This ends an important indirect financial incentive for companies transitioning their fleets to emission-free commercial vehicles. Switzerland adheres to the principle of not permanently linking the LSVA to the respective energy source. During parliamentary proceedings, it was explicitly noted that a fee system dependent on the type of drivetrain or fuel would be administratively complex. Discounts to gradually decrease until 2035 At the same time, Switzerland will not immediately increase the financial burden for emission-free trucks to the regular level. For 2031, a 70 per cent discount is planned, followed by 50 per cent in 2032. The discount will then decrease annually to 30 per cent in 2033, 20 per cent in 2034, and 10 per cent in 2035. From 2036, the discount will be completely phased out. The legally stipulated reductions apply to both fully electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. For the transport industry, it is already clear today how a significant cost factor will evolve after the end of the LSVA exemption. The Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG had particularly emphasised the importance of long-term planning certainty. For heavy commercial vehicles with long amortisation periods, changes in toll fees can significantly impact the economic viability of an investment. Euro 6 trucks to be reclassified The reform does not only affect emission-free drivetrains. The most widespread Euro 6 trucks are to move from the cheapest to the second-cheapest LSVA category. New Euro 7 vehicles will also be assigned to this category. For Euro 7 trucks, discounts are planned until 2035 to differentiate them from Euro 6. The specific design of these tariffs has not yet been fully determined. Another innovation aims to provide more planning certainty: changes to the classification of vehicles into LSVA categories must in future be announced with a seven-year lead time. For hauliers, this means they can factor changes in toll costs into procurement and amortisation decisions much earlier. This regulation was initially controversial between the National Council and the Council of States but ultimately became part of the compromise. Federal council must finalise tariffs With the final vote, the reform has been politically approved, but many details remain to be resolved. The Federal Council must adapt the implementing ordinance, including setting the specific LSVA tariffs and the final classification of various vehicle types into the fee categories. There is therefore still room for manoeuvre in the specific treatment of Euro 7. Additionally, the reform will not enter into force immediately after the parliamentary final vote: a period for an optional referendum must first elapse.
• https://www.bazg.admin.ch/en/heavy-vehicle-charge-switzerland – In Switzerland, heavy vehicles with a total weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes are subject to a heavy vehicle fee. This fee is either performance-related (LSVA) or lump-sum (PSVA) and applies to both commercial and private use. Detailed information is available for holders of vehicles registered in Switzerland and abroad. Performance-related heavy vehicle fee (HVC) Heavy vehicles for the carriage of goods are subject to the performance-related heavy vehicle fee (HVF). No distinction is made between commercial or private use in this regard. Lump-sum heavy vehicle charge (lump-sum HVC) The charge is levied in the form of a lump sum (lump-sum heavy vehicle charge, PSVA) for the vehicle types listed below. Heavy passenger vehicles, heavy campervans, motorhomes, and caravans, vehicles used for transporting passengers (coaches, buses), tractors and motor carriages, motor vehicles for fun fairs and circuses, other motor vehicles for the carriage of goods with a maximum speed of 45 km/h. Holders of vehicles registered in Switzerland can find information on the lump-sum heavy vehicle charge at the following link: PSVA for Swiss vehicles. Information on refunds for trips abroad can also be found there: Refunds for trips abroad. Information for holders of vehicles registered abroad can be found here: PSVA for foreign vehicles.
• https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/cst-cn%3A-heavy-traffic%3B-electric-trucks-will-also-pay-toll/92145093 – On 30 September 2026, both chambers of the Swiss Federal Assembly reached an agreement on the final point of a project concerning the introduction of a toll for electric trucks. This development paves the way for the final votes on the matter. With this revision, the Federal Council aims to ensure that heavy traffic continues to cover its costs and that the shift from road to rail transport is encouraged. According to the objectives set in the law, no more than 650,000 trucks should have crossed the Alps by 2018. However, this number rose to 916,000 in 2023 and 960,000 in 2024. The current system has reached its limits due to the technical evolution of trucks. Today, 90% of heavy vehicles fall into the least expensive tax category. Additionally, battery-electric or hydrogen vehicles are still exempt from the heavy traffic toll.
• https://www.parlament.ch/en/services/news/2026/20260930154100831194158159026_bsi140.aspx – On 30 September 2026, both chambers of the Swiss Federal Assembly reached an agreement on the final point of a project concerning the introduction of a toll for electric trucks. This development paves the way for the final votes on the matter. With this revision, the Federal Council aims to ensure that heavy traffic continues to cover its costs and that the shift from road to rail transport is encouraged. According to the objectives set in the law, no more than 650,000 trucks should have crossed the Alps by 2018. However, this number rose to 916,000 in 2023 and 960,000 in 2024. The current system has reached its limits due to the technical evolution of trucks. Today, 90% of heavy vehicles fall into the least expensive tax category. Additionally, battery-electric or hydrogen vehicles are still exempt from the heavy traffic toll.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The article was published on 6 October 2026, reporting on the Swiss Parliament’s approval of the revised Heavy Vehicle Fee Act on 2 October 2026. (electrive.com) Similar information was reported by other sources on the same date, indicating freshness. However, the topic has been covered in earlier articles, such as one from 3 June 2026, which discussed the decision to subject electric and hydrogen-powered trucks to the heavy vehicle charge starting in 2031. (swissinfo.ch) This earlier coverage suggests that the narrative is not entirely new, and the article may be summarising previously reported information.

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The article includes direct quotes from the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG, highlighting concerns about the financial impact of the toll on operators. (electrive.com) However, these quotes cannot be independently verified through the provided sources, raising concerns about their authenticity. The lack of verifiable sources for these quotes reduces the reliability of the information presented.

Source reliability

Score: 6

Notes: The primary source, Electrive.com, is a niche publication focusing on electric mobility. While it provides detailed coverage, its reach and influence are limited compared to major news organisations. The article also references official parliamentary material and statements from the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG, which are reputable sources. However, the reliance on a niche publication and the inability to independently verify certain quotes diminish the overall reliability of the information.

Plausibility check

Score: 8

Notes: The article’s claims align with known developments in Swiss transportation policy, including the planned integration of electric and hydrogen trucks into the heavy vehicle fee system starting in 2031. (electrive.com) The gradual reduction of discounts from 70% in 2031 to 10% in 2035, followed by full implementation in 2036, is consistent with previous reports. (swissinfo.ch) However, the lack of independent verification for certain quotes raises questions about the completeness and accuracy of the information presented.