The German government is making it easier for mayors to ban older diesel-powered cars from driving on their streets.
Officials are working on a law that would give mayors the right to ban cars that don't comply with the strict Euro 6 emissions regulations that came into effect across Europe less than a year ago. The measure is highly controversial, but it's seen as a way to improve the air quality in the country's most polluted cities.
"This step is necessary as a stop gap until electric cars have a significant foothold in our towns, and diesel emissions really are what car makers say they are: cleaner," affirmedDeputy Environment Minister Jochen Flasbarth.
Unsurprisingly, not all Germans agree with the proposed ban.
"It would be a fundamental mistake to badmouth diesels," said a spokesperson for VDA, the German Association of the Automotive Industry.
VDA points out that half of the roughly three million cars sold in Germany each year are equipped with a diesel engine. Diesel-powered cars make up 74 and 67 percent of BMW and Audi sales, respectively. Notably, about two thirds of the diesels registered in Germany today don't comply with the Euro 6 norms.
German officials stress that the ban won't be mandatory, meaning mayors who don't agree with it won't be forced to enact it. Additionally, the government won't allow mayors to ban every single older diesel-powered car. Towns will need to make exceptions, presumably for residents, for households who can't afford a newer car, and for classics.
Photo by Ronan Glon.
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