2021
Netherlands shocks transport companies
The Netherlands is tightening up the rules on environmental zones enormously from 2025. No vans or trucks with combustion engines will be allowed in at least 14 environmental zones. Only purely electric vehicles will be allowed.
Soon environmental zones in Luxembourg?
Despite attractive offers such as free public transport, the country is struggling with increased nitrogen oxide pollution from old diesel vehicles. Driving bans are imminent.
Driving bans in Darmstadt remain
The air in Germany is getting cleaner. This is also the case in Darmstadt. Despite the improvement in nitrogen oxide levels, however, the city is sticking to its driving bans for older diesel and petrol vehicles.
Germany's charging network in crisis
A law passed by the German government is supposed to provide a better infrastructure with fast-charging stations and thus make the switch to e-cars more attractive. Despite the planned investment of billions, critics are not convinced.
Air pollution in space
Environmental zones and driving bans are the result of air pollution in many countries on planet Earth. But scientists also use indicators like nitrogen dioxide for other purposes - for example, to explore space and find evidence of extraterrestrial life.
France: The end of the combustion engine
The new climate package hits old diesel and petrol cars hard. All major cities in France will have to set up a permanent low emission zone with strict rules by the end of 2024. The sale of combustion cars will also be banned in the long term. At the same time, more eco-lanes are to be set up to promote e-mobility.
E-buses fail in the cold
The icy temperatures in Berlin are causing problems for the e-buses. These have increasingly caved in to the cold in recent days, even though the batteries were supposed to withstand the cold according to the manufacturer. The buses had to be replaced by diesel buses.
Old diesels pollute Milan
The major Italian cities had nitrogen oxide levels that were clearly too high last year, despite the lockdown. This is the conclusion of the environmental organisation Legambiente in its annual report. It calls for diesel vehicles up to Euro 5 to be locked out immediately.
Charging cable adé
The charging of e-cars is to be revolutionised with inductive charging while driving. Researchers at the TU Braunschweig are investigating this in the "eCharge" project. However, the technology still seems to be a thing of the future - inductive charging is still in its infancy.
Citizens measure fine dust
In Marseille, 2000 mobile measuring devices are being distributed to citizens to measure air pollution in the metropolis. The aim is to obtain more precise information on the improvement of air quality and the effectiveness of the environmental zone in the city on the Mediterranean Sea.