Taxi cars with combustion engines are targeted by the authorities in several countries because they pollute a lot by traveling tens of thousands of kilometers a year. Taxi drivers will be the first to be forced to switch to electric cars.
Signal for the whole of Europe: Hamburg bans new taxis with combustion engines from 2025. This means that new taxi cars entering the fleet will have to be electric cars.
Electric taxis have proven to be reliable, comfortable, and cheaper to operate than combustion taxis.
From January 1, 2025, only zero-emission taxis will be allowed to drive in Hamburg. There will be no more petrol or diesel taxis. The city has been promoting the switch to electric taxis for almost two years as part of the “Future Taxi” project.
The city of Hamburg is the first German state to ban new registrations of taxis with combustion engines.
“We hope that this decision of the Hamburg authorities will be taken into account by Germany and the entire of Europe. Germany must make rapid progress in the transport sector,” the authorities said.
How much will new electric taxi cars reduce emissions
The electrification of Hamburg’s entire taxi fleet will reduce pollution by 25,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year. The city has started a program to support taxi drivers to switch to emission-free taxi cars as early as 2021. Hamburg launched the “Future Taxi” project in 2021 to encourage the transition to zero-emission local taxis.
Currently, more than 350 electrified taxis operate in Hamburg, representing 12% of the taxi fleet. This is the highest percentage of eco taxis in all of Germany.
25 taxis powered by hydrogen fuel cells also operate in Hamburg.
Last year, the European Union decided to ban sales of combustion engines by 2035. However, some European states and cities want to speed up the timing – Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden are planning a phase-out by 2030.
Read also:
- The Car won’t start in the cold – possible causes
- Europe’s first electric vehicles with interchangeable batteries are now available in Romania
- Starter motor: How does it work, and what is its role?
- Magnite ground clearance, boot space, NCAP Rating
- How the zipper merge works in road traffic – VIDEO
Part of the auto industry, which continues to depend heavily on the sale of engines, Germany has been more reluctant to impose bans on conventional cars than other EU states.