Stuttgart becomes a hotspot
In the Stuttgart region, hardware upgrades for diesel have begun.
The important thing right at the front: the retrofitting can cost up to 3,5000 euros. After the option of retrofitting was initially only available to a few vehicle manufacturers, several companies are now following suit. Mercedes, BMW, Volvo and all brands of the VW Group, for example, offer the option of retrofitting. The fact that catalytic converters are now available for several brands is reassuring for some consumers. There is the possibility of subsidies from some manufacturers if the vehicle owner is registered in one of the 15 problem cities or the surrounding area. This means that the sum of support from car dealerships can be as high as EUR 3000.
Stuttgart would like to take a pioneering role here, comparable to the situation when particulate filters were installed.
Of course, diesel catalytic converters are not only available for passenger cars. Light trucks and vans can also be retrofitted as part of this campaign. This news is a reassurance for many small businesses such as craft enterprises and the like. However, the costs for the retrofitting are much higher and amount to about 6,000 euros, depending on the vehicle.
Wolfgang Reimer (Greens), President of the Stuttgart District Council, is reassured that hardware retrofitting on a larger scale is now available: "We are interested in every step that helps to make the air in the Stuttgart region cleaner. It would be good if we could retrofit half of Stuttgart's diesel engines".