Passenger transport should be largely emission-free by 2030. For this, the taxi association demands more money: So far there is a maximum of 9,000 euros for a retrofit – now there is talk of 15,000 euros.
The Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars has presented a plan to convert their fleets to electric cars and is calling for greater state funding.
“It’s about nothing less than the exchange of the previous taxi fleet to emission-free vehicles,” said managing director Michael Oppermann of the German press agency. With a “Federal eTaxi timetable”, a largely emission-free passenger transport should be achieved by 2030. “40,000 vehicles, around 80 percent of the entire taxi fleet in Germany, should run on electricity by then.”
The federal government had significantly increased the purchase premiums for e-cars: including a manufacturer’s share, a subsidy of up to 9,000 euros is possible for purely battery-operated vehicles. That is not enough for the taxi association.
A quarter of the fleet should be electrified by 2025
The claim is based on the consequences of the pandemic and the importance of taxis. “Taxis drive about eight times as many kilometers a year as a private car,” said Oppermann. According to the taxi association, a quarter of the fleet should be electrified by 2025.
Specifically, the association demands that state funding for retrofitting starts at 15,000 euros from January 2023 in order to promote the rapid changeover. The funding should then fall continuously, to around 5700 euros after eight years.
The “Federal eTaxi timetable” costs a total of 390 million euros, according to Oppermann. “The benefits are immeasurable: clean air in town and country and significantly better quality of life.”
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
