“Big cities consider driving bans on diesel cars”

Several German cities, including Berlin, Munich, Bremen, and Stuttgart, are considering banning older diesel cars in order to bring harmful nitrogen oxide emissions within EU limits, according to a survey by press agency dpa. The ban would mean only cars with a "blue badge" dependant on meeting Euro-6 emission limits could enter restricted zones. But the cities also say there is currently no legal basis for such a ban. Munich and Berlin said residents and businesses should be granted exceptions and transition periods to avoid social hardship, according to an article in Automobilwoche.
According to a Spiegel report, only 1.3 million of Germany’s 14.5 diesel cars would be eligible for the “blue badge”. The environment ministry said it hoped to decide on how to proceed this autumn.

Read the Automobilwoche article in German here and the Spiegel report here.

For background, read the CLEW dossier The energy transition and Germany’s transport sector.