July 2021
The hard lot of the truck industry
Just like many other countries, the UK government has now timed the end of internal combustion vehicles. While the phase-out date for passenger cars was already fixed at 2030, a date has now also been set for medium and heavy-duty trucks. The industry is worried.
Special tax for e-cars
Subsidies on purchase, cheap electricity and no petrol tax: driving an e-car is cheap. This is what politicians generally want in order to promote the switch to electric vehicles. But the state loses a lot of money every year due to the lack of petrol tax. In the USA, e-car drivers are now being asked to pay.
30 km/h speed limit throughout Paris
The mayor of Paris has been declaring war on cars for some time now. The environmental zone is becoming stricter and stricter and will soon prohibit even the newest diesel vehicles from entering. In addition, more and more car-free zones are being created and the expansion of cycle paths and footpaths is taking more and more space away from vehicles. Now almost all of Paris is to become a 30 km/h zone.
City tolls and car-free zones all over Europe?!
Often citizens stand in the way of projects for fewer cars in city centres. Only when the positive effects of such projects become apparent do opinions change. For example, city tolls and car-free zones have already been introduced in many European cities. Now citizens are more and more convinced. In Germany, politics is often too hesitant.
What can be done about air pollution?
Air pollution is dangerous for people and the environment. But what can we do to contribute to cleaner air?
Combustion áde: Car manufacturers get serious
The first big car companies have given concrete dates for the phase-out of the internal combustion engine. So things are getting serious for diesel and petrol engines. But the dealers are keeping a few loopholes open and are also demanding more help from politicians. But even if there are no more new combustion engines, the existing ones will not disappear so easily.
Methanol: Alternative to the Battery?
The car industry is desperately looking for solutions for the range and fast charging of e-cars. A start-up is working on a fuel cell powered by methanol - and has solved the problems of range and charging processes. Is methanol a tinkerer's folly or the fuel of the future?
Truck industry starts its own electric offensive
The major truck manufacturers have joined forces to build a comprehensive charging network for trucks in Europe. Since politicians are only making very slow progress with improving the infrastructure, they are now taking the challenge into their own hands. This is urgently needed, because soon there will be no more trucks with combustion engines in some environmental zones.
Mobile measuring stations on the road
In order to keep a closer eye on air quality and to be able to improve it at critical locations, the parcel service provider DPD is now also measuring air quality in Hamburg. If the data reveal many places with high air pollution, an environmental zone in the Hanseatic city could also come back into the discussion.
What is the Green-Zones App?
The Green-Zones App helps you to avoid huge fines and to keep track of environmental zones and driving bans. And all this without prior registration. Maybe you want to go on holiday privately, or you have a company that crosses several European countries with vans and trucks. There are many things to consider here: Where are the environmental zones? Is your vehicle affected by the rules? And do you perhaps need a sticker or registration before entering?