In the USA, the VW Group has suffered a legal defeat because of Dieselgate, which could cost it billions. In Germany, customers who want to take legal action against Daimler because of the so-called thermal windows probably have rather bad chances.
Switzerland wants to impose a driving ban on vehicles with noise levels above 95 decibels. This would affect not only motorbikes, but all types of vehicles. However, it will be some time before a possible ban comes into force. The ban has been widely criticised.
An amendment to the Road Traffic Act has caused a stir and made drivers of classic cars fear for their exemption rights. In future, classic cars will still be allowed to drive on German roads without a green environmental sticker.
Environmental stickers must be affixed to the car so that they are clearly visible. But where exactly do the different stickers have to be affixed? Just as the rules for environmental zones differ from country to country, so do the ways in which the stickers must be affixed to the car.
A new Eurovignette for trucks is to be based more on the vehicles' CO2 emissions. This should create an incentive to invest in low-emission trucks. But the different implementation of the countries could cause confusion. Meanwhile, Germany is being sued by many companies because of the existing truck toll.
E-cars are said to emit significantly more CO2 than thought. According to new estimates, they would be even more harmful to the climate than diesel and petrol vehicles. Experts are already talking about electric gate.
The number of vehicles in Germany continues to increase. There is no trend away from the car proclaimed by politicians. Even in large cities, more and more people are relying on their own cars in front of their doors. The traffic turnaround with alternative mobility concepts has been missed.
Environmental zones and driving bans exist primarily to keep air pollution, i.e. the pollutants present in the air, as low as possible. But what exactly are these pollutants and why are they so dangerous?
20 million bikes for clean air. This idea is currently maturing in China. A bicycle rental company provides bicycles that filter the ambient air during use. The idea is to finally do something about the bad air in Beijing and other supermetropolises.
Only one in two e-car drivers would recommend their vehicle to others. Only Tesla customers are really satisfied with their vehicle. The other manufacturers are still struggling, especially with the charging structure. No wonder, then, that the e-car is only slowly gaining acceptance in Germany.
