Category: Germany
Are night-time environmental zones coming?
The Berlin Green Party recently presented a proposal to equalise the traffic congestion in the capital. The idea is to shift delivery and commercial traffic to the night-time hours. According to Antje Kapek, transport spokesperson for the Greens, this proposal should help to ensure that delivery vehicles, refuse collection, care services and doctors get stuck less in congested and parked-up streets during the day. Low-noise and low-emission lorries could increasingly drive into cities at night and on special routes.
Electromobility in Germany: Unclear course and gloomy outlook
Electric mobility in Germany is facing major challenges, as ADAC President Christian Reinicke emphasises in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung. His statements shed a gloomy light on the current situation of electric cars and raise the question of whether the government's ambitious targets are achievable at all.
Charging at streetlights: an expensive experiment with limited benefits?
The challenge of electromobility is not only the purchase of the vehicles, but also the provision of a nationwide charging infrastructure. The Berlin start-up Ubitricity has come up with a creative solution: converting street lamps into charging stations. But the reality is sobering. According to current figures from the Berlin Senate, not even one in ten streetlights is suitable for conversion. In addition, the costs are considerable at 6000 euros per conversion (without network expansion).
Government crisis: Is the whole of Germany threatened with a weekend driving ban?
The government is seething once again. This time it's about the Climate Protection Act, which is still stuck in parliament. Transport Minister Volker Wissing has set the coalition partners a deadline and is threatening nationwide driving bans if they fail to meet it. The Greens have yet to adopt a clear position on this.
E-cars lead to a billion-euro grave - this is how expensive the transport transition is
Germany is facing a major challenge: according to a study by management consultants EY, the transport transition could turn out to be a billion-euro grave for the treasury. The switch to electric cars could cost the state around 50 billion euros by 2030. This is a huge sum that not only puts fiscal policy to the test, but also climate and environmental targets.
HVO100 - Is the driving ban for standard diesel now coming?
On 22 March 2024, the German Federal Council gave its approval for the authorisation of climate-friendly pure diesel fuels. The beacon of hope of this new era is HVO100, short for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil. This fuel, which is produced from the conversion of vegetable oils or recyclable waste materials, is to be available at German filling stations from 13 April 2024.
Mercedes back on diesel
Electromobility currently seems to be the industry's irrefutable future. But while companies like Volkswagen are forging ahead, other groups such as BMW, Skoda, General Motors and above all Mercedes are changing their strategy. Instead of focussing exclusively on electric drives, they are once again focusing more on customer requirements and are even planning to develop the diesel further.
Do we need more environmental zones for bees?
Particulate matter is not only dangerous for humans, but also for bees and other insects. New studies show that high concentrations of particulate matter in the air impair the ability of bees to perceive floral odours. As a result, they visit fewer flowers, which in turn leads to a decline in pollination. Without pollination, there is no fruit, no vegetables and no cereals. It's a worrying cycle that could have serious consequences for our ecosystem and ultimately our food supply.
Traffic jams and air quality: are environmental zones in front of schools the solution?
The daily morning car journeys to school, known as parent taxis, are now a widespread phenomenon in German cities. However, this type of school transport not only harbours safety risks, but also impairs the air quality around schools. The German Association of Cities therefore recently called for more room for manoeuvre for cities and municipalities to take action against this practice.
Diesel driving ban in Munich: Euro 5 ban is coming after all!
The end of diesel in Munich seems to have been heralded. The Bavarian Administrative Court (VGH) has ruled that Euro 5 diesels will no longer be allowed to enter Munich's low emission zone. A step that should significantly improve air quality in the city, but what does this mean for the 70,000 or so drivers affected?