Truck tolls 2026: what does an electric truck save?

By Maarten Alta · 18 October 2026

In the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, trucks pay per kilometre, and an electric truck pays much less or nothing at all. In France and the United Kingdom the picture is different. For a heavy truck that drives 100,000 tolled kilometres a year, the difference between diesel and electric ranges from almost nothing to over € 30,000 a year, depending on the country.

The rates side by side

Rates per kilometre for a heavy truck or combination, Euro VI diesel versus zero-emission, in 2026.

Country	Heavy truck	Euro VI diesel	Electric	Difference
Germany	over 18 t, 5+ axles	€ 0.348 per km	exempt until 30 June 2031	€ 0.348 per km
Belgium – Flanders, motorway	over 32 t	€ 0.285 per km	€ 0.038 per km	€ 0.247 per km
Netherlands	over 32 t	€ 0.201 per km	€ 0.038 per km	€ 0.163 per km
Belgium – Brussels, motorway	over 32 t	€ 0.171 per km	€ 0.031 per km	€ 0.140 per km
Belgium – Wallonia	over 32 t	€ 0.205 per km	€ 0.205 per km	none
France	–	no national distance-based toll	–	–
United Kingdom	–	no distance-based toll	–	–

The weight classes differ per country, so treat the comparison as indicative. Belgian rates apply from 1 July 2026.

The Netherlands

Since 1 July 2026, trucks over 3,500 kg pay per kilometre on all motorways, part of the N-roads and some local roads around larger cities, about 3,000 km in total. Empty kilometres count too. The rate depends on weight and CO2 emission class; zero-emission trucks are in class 5, the lowest. The Eurovignette has ended, and vehicle tax for trucks has dropped to the European minimum.

Because of high fuel and energy prices, all rates are reduced by 22.3% from 1 September to 31 December 2026. From 2027, rates rise with inflation every 1 January. The net revenue goes back to the sector, including through a purchase subsidy for zero-emission trucks.

Belgium

Belgium has had a distance-based toll for trucks over 3.5 tonnes for years, run separately by each region. Rates depend on weight, Euro standard, road type and region.

Flanders added a CO2 surcharge on 1 July 2026. Zero-emission trucks get an 80% reduction on the infrastructure part in 2026. That falls to 60% in 2027, 40% in 2028 and 20% in 2029, so electric trucks will gradually pay more.
Brussels follows the Flemish approach.
Wallonia treats zero-emission trucks as Euro VI, so there is no advantage there.

Germany

Germany's truck toll (Lkw-Maut) applies on motorways and federal roads, about 50,000 km, to trucks over 3.5 tonnes. Since December 2023 it includes a CO2 surcharge, which makes the rate for a heavy Euro VI truck 34.8 cents per km. Zero-emission trucks are exempt until 30 June 2031. That makes Germany the country where an electric truck saves the most on tolls.

France

France has no national distance-based truck toll. Trucks pay the normal tolls on motorways run by concession companies, and electric trucks pay those too. From January 2027, the region of Alsace introduces the R-Pass: about € 0.16 per km on around 200 km of roads, including the A35, for trucks over 3.5 tonnes. Zero-emission trucks are exempt.

United Kingdom

The UK has no distance-based truck toll. Instead, trucks pay the HGV levy, a time-based charge: £ 619 a year for a Euro VI truck over 38 tonnes. Zero-emission trucks are exempt from the levy and from vehicle excise duty.

Worked example

A tractor-trailer drives 100,000 tolled kilometres a year in one country.

Country	Diesel per year	Electric per year	Saving per year
Germany	€ 34,800	€ 0	€ 34,800
Belgium – Flanders	€ 28,500	€ 3,800	€ 24,700
Netherlands	€ 20,100	€ 3,800	€ 16,300
Belgium – Wallonia	€ 20,500	€ 20,500	€ 0
United Kingdom	£ 619 (levy)	£ 0	£ 619

In practice, routes cross borders and run partly on untolled roads. Count only the kilometres on tolled roads, per country.

What it means for planning

With a price per kilometre, every detour and empty trip shows up in the result. Consolidation, backhauls and smart routing matter more. In a mixed fleet it pays to put the electric trucks on the trips with the most tolled kilometres, especially in Germany and Flanders, if range and charging allow.

And what fits on your connection?

Tolls make electric trucks more attractive, but the question remains whether you can charge them at your own depot. The Energy Scan calculates per quarter-hour how many electric trucks fit on your connection, what charging costs with solar panels or a battery, and how that compares with diesel over ten years.