Argentina Updates Traffic Law, Authorizing CNG and Electric B-Trains for Heavy Transport – Minuto Uno | 31/07/26

The Argentine government amended the Traffic Law through Decree 689/2026, signed by President Javier Milei and ministers Luis Caputo and Diego Santilli, with the aim of modernizing heavy freight transport and improving energy efficiency. The new regulation replaces Annex R of Decree No. 779/1995 and officially updates the maximum weight and dimension limits for heavy-duty cargo vehicles. Among the main changes, it authorizes the use of vehicles powered by alternative fuels, particularly factory-built Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engines, with the goal of leveraging the unconventional gas reserves of Vaca Muerta to expand the availability of Natural Gas for Vehicles. The regulation also increases the maximum length for a single-articulation tractor-trailer to 19.60 meters, while double-articulated B-trains will now be allowed maximum lengths of 23.40 meters, 26.50 meters, and up to 31.25 meters, depending on whether they are configured as B1, B2, or B3. These updated dimensional standards will also apply to trucks powered by hybrid or fully electric engines. Finally, the decree authorizes the Secretariat of Transport to introduce future regulatory updates to adapt the permitted vehicle configurations in line with ongoing technological developments in the automotive industry. Link to Article