ASTAG Welcomes Swiss Federal Council’s Plans for LSVA

The Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG considers the Federal Council’s proposals for the further development of the LSVA as a good basis for discussion. The consultation, which was opened today, contains several core elements for a solution that is compatible with the industry. These include, among other things, investment security and initial financing for alternative drives. The decarbonization of road transport would thus progress more quickly.

(Bern) Fundamental changes are imminent regarding the performance-dependent heavy vehicle charge LSVA (cost per kilometer for a 40-ton vehicle: approximately 1 Swiss franc). The Federal Council has been working for some time on redesigning the systematics and tariffs for the period after 2030. The consultation on this was opened today.

After a brief initial assessment, the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG, as the industry representative of the road transport sector, i.e., the main affected vehicle owners, is cautiously optimistic. The proposals are fundamentally heading in the right direction. It is very encouraging that several core elements demanded by ASTAG in advance are included in the draft. Of central importance for the industry is planning security. Transport companies must have a guarantee of how tariffs will develop for at least seven years at all times. Only in this way is a reliable calculation of costs and amortization periods based on business principles possible. However, changes have so far always been announced very shortly in advance, i.e., with a lead time of a few months. The rolling planning, as the Federal Council is now putting up for discussion, is therefore explicitly welcomed: “Our industry needs sufficient investment security,” emphasizes ASTAG President Thierry Burkart, “anything else leads to capital destruction at the expense of vehicle owners!”

CO2-Neutral Vehicles Two to Three Times More Expensive

In this context, the idea of initial financing for trucks with alternative drives (electric, hydrogen) is also very sensible. As of today, the acquisition costs of vehicles that are operated CO2-neutrally are two to three times higher than those for conventional diesel trucks. For the vast majority of transport companies, they are simply unaffordable for the time being. Therefore, it is all the more important to lower this entry barrier through progressively designed investment aids. This can make an important contribution to the accelerated decarbonization of the industry. – For a refined statement, ASTAG will analyze the draft in detail in the relevant committees.

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