Truck scrappage scheme criticised
At the beginning of the year, the then Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) introduced a scrapping premium for trucks. The aim was to reduce pollutants on Germany's roads. Was the venture crowned with success?
At the beginning of the year, the then Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) introduced a scrapping premium for trucks. The aim was to reduce pollutants on Germany's roads. Was the venture crowned with success?
A traffic restriction only really makes sense if it is signposted. But what happens if there are signs but no traffic restrictions? In Berlin, diesel drivers have to deal with exactly this problem.
The trade association en2x Fuels & Energie has calculated that transport in Germany is adhering to the set limits for pollutant emissions. The association calculates consumption based on the sale of fuels from cars, aircraft and ships.
As is well known, the lack of charging infrastructure is the biggest obstacle for many e-car drivers. Of course, this is also related to the crowding around the available charging stations. Tesla has now found a solution.
Around the globe, the demand for electric vehicles is growing. But more and more batteries also mean less and less lithium, which could actually be used up faster than expected. A dilemma that could be solved with hydrogen.
The USA wants to drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. One step in this direction is the new regulations on petrol consumption of cars. From 2026 onwards, car manufacturers must set up their vehicle fleets in such a way that the vehicles can cover an average of almost 90 kilometres on just under four litres of petrol. But now this target is on the brink of collapse.
The idea is not really new: a cable car that transports not only tourists in the mountains, but commuters in a big city. First examples were provided by Algiers, Kiel, La Paz, New York and Taipei. Transport planners in Germany are now examining in which German cities a cable car could be a useful addition to the existing network.
E-cars and car parks have a difficult relationship. A Tesla driver proved this again in a shopping centre in London. In the middle of the driveway of a four-storey car park, his car got stuck halfway up. But what is quickly fixed in an internal combustion car has a completely different dynamic in an electric model.
Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, the motorhome market is growing. But when it comes to exhaust gases, not all motorhomes comply with the legal limits. Two Fiat Ducato caravan models were found to have significantly increased pollutant emissions. Is there a threat of driving bans?
Across Europe, the number of people opting for an electric car is growing. In Germany alone, 149,000 new vehicles with electric drives were registered in the first half of 2021, and the trend is rising. However, many e-drivers fail to inform themselves about the available infrastructure before buying a car.