Regional Gov’t Challenges Frankfurt’s Diesel Ban
The German state government of Hesse plans to appeal a court ruling that empowered Frankfurt to impose a partial ban on older cars, Reuters reports.
#regulations #legal
The German state government of Hesse plans to appeal a court ruling that empowered Frankfurt to impose a partial ban on older cars, Reuters reports.
Germany’s top administrative court ruled in February that municipalities may ban diesels in their city centers to meet air quality standards. The federal government has declined to force carmakers to launch costly retrofit programs for older diesels.
Environmental reports indicate concentrations of nitrogen oxides and fine particulates in Germany’s largest cities have often exceeded four times the allowable limits. Environmentalists argue that remedial steps, such as electric buses and park-and-ride schemes, have been ineffective.
But Hesse Prime Minister Volker Bouffier argues otherwise. He insists that a mix of electric buses, improved bicycle paths and more park-and-ride options would have the same impact on Frankfurt’s air quality as the city’s proposed ban.
Frankfurt plans to initially ban Euro 4 diesels and Euro 1-2 gasoline vehicles beginning next February. The measure would broaden to include Euro 5 diesels in September 2019. Reuters estimates that the planned rules would affect about 25% of the city’s vehicular traffic.
RELATED CONTENT
-
U.S. in No Hurry to Regulate Autonomous Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the emerging technology involved in self-driving cars is too new to be tightly regulated.
-
CARB Predicts 10x Hike in Fuel Cell Vehicles by 2024
California expects the number of fuel cell-powered vehicles registered in the state will surge to 23,600 units in 2021 from 4,800 through May of this year and reach 47,200 by 2024.
-
BMW Granted License to Test Self-Driving Cars in Shanghai
BMW AG has become the first foreign carmaker to win permission to test autonomous vehicles on public roads in China, according to the Shanghai Daily.