G2 V2 tachograph in vans from 2026, cost or opportunity?

From 1 July 2026, every 2.5–3.5 t van crossing borders with cargo must carry a G2 V2 intelligent tachograph. The same legislative package that forced heavy trucks to upgrade in 2024 and 2025 now reaches light international transport, regardless of whether the vehicle just left the dealership or has half a million kilometres on the clock.

A market that looks small but is not

Eurostat figures make vans look like a footnote: sub-10 t vehicles accounted for just 0.3% of EU freight work in 2023. But 0.3% of a 1,867 billion tonne-kilometre pie is still over 5 billion tkm, millions of parcels, components, and medicines moved every single day. Polish carriers, leaders in EU road freight, account for roughly 368 billion tkm, nearly one fifth of total EU volume.

Three implementation scenarios

Upgrade

You have a Community licence, regular clients, and a fleet in decent shape. You install the tachograph, train drivers, and enter the market with an advantage: compliant while others still hesitate.

Domestic Pivot

You exit EU routes and shift vans to domestic distribution: e-commerce, pharma, 2–8°C cold chain. Zero tachograph cost, but accept lower rates and heavier competition from courier companies.

Scale-up or Joint Venture

You join forces with a carrier above 3.5 t or sell the vans and move into heavy FTL. Capital and know-how are within reach, but TMS systems, data, and partner egos need synchronising.

1 July 2026 is not a date in a spreadsheet, it is a starting line or a finish line. In logistics, stagnation is death. Change is opportunity.