In order to reduce air pollution, stickers and registrations can only be issued to vehicles that comply with the specified emission standards. However, there are various exceptions to the sticker and registration requirement. As with all other rules in the environmental zones, these vary greatly from country to country.
Due to the flood disasters in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, the question arises whether e-cars are not roadworthy in floods compared to combustion cars, because the electrics could short-circuit in the water and sparks could fly. According to experts, this is nonsense. Electric cars even have an advantage over combustion cars.
Different stickers for different countries - in the border region between France and Germany this is currently particularly annoying. From the beginning of next year, Strasbourg will introduce a permanent low emission zone in which at least the French category 4 sticker will be required. German commuters will also have to prepare themselves for this.
In the fight against ultra-fine dust, Amsterdam Airport wants to use fog to trap the particles and make them sink to the ground. The small particles produced by the ground movement of aircraft are particularly harmful to health because they can penetrate far into the lungs. But stronger fuel regulation would also help.
Travelling with motorhomes and caravans is becoming more and more restricted in Europe. It is not only the increasingly strict rules in the environmental zones that worry campers, but also the forced switch to electric drive. Because the heavy trailers consume too much energy and therefore drastically reduce the range of e-cars. Dethleffs is already working on a solution - but this means considerable costs for holidaymakers.
Tesla wants to open its charging stations to all vehicles. The charging stations of the American e-car pioneer are far superior to other models in terms of both number of units and technology. Thanks to Tesla, the network of charging stations would take an enormous leap forward. It is not yet clear what the company will get out of this and how it will be technically possible to implement it.
By 2023, many cities in Spain will have to introduce low emission zones by law. Both domestic and foreign vehicles are affected. A new traffic sign is now to mark the environmental zones in a uniform and clearly recognisable way.
Because of the German government's climate targets, traffic in Germany must be significantly reduced in the coming years. Transport Minister Scheuer therefore wants a railway reform that puts climate protection first. This is urgently needed. More digitalisation and modern infrastructure are to contribute to the turnaround.
From 2035, there are to be no more new cars with combustion engines in the EU. In addition, CO2 emissions from transport are to be reduced by 55 percent below today's level by 2030. But many EU countries are lagging miles behind in terms of electrification. The goal seems utopian.
Entering the European environmental zones without a sticker and registration can be expensive. Here is an overview of the fines and why it pays to enter the environmental zones well informed and with the correct sticker.
