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The Bundestag decided on a reform of the vehicle tax on Thursday night. Starting in 2021, the vehicle tax will increase for new fuel-efficient cars. Cars that have already been registered are not affected. Environmentalists and the Greens criticized that the reform was not doing enough to protect the climate.
The reform also includes the extension of the vehicle tax exemption for purely electric vehicles until December 31, 2025; it should last until the end of 2030 at the latest.
The criticism came from environmentalists and the Greens. Green MP Oliver Krischer told the German press agency: “With its poor reform, the federal government will hardly accelerate the shift towards clean electric cars or cheaper cars.”
A study by the Ecological-Social Market Economy Forum on behalf of the Green parliamentary group concludes that the reform planned by the federal government is not ambitious enough to have such a steering effect, that is, to encourage customers to buy vehicles with lower emissions.
On average, the vehicle tax increases 15.80 euros a year, with many cars nothing will change. In a European comparison, Germany has low taxes on CO2-based vehicles, but at the same time, new vehicles in Germany emit the most CO2.
Transport expert from the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND), Jens Hilgenberg, said the reform is little more than actionism. “There is hardly any incentive to buy low-emission vehicles or even so-called local emission-free vehicles instead of high-emission bodies. However, driving fuel-efficient cars must become significantly more expensive and less attractive if the federal government is take climate protection seriously. ”
ADAC President of Traffic Gerhard Hillebrand also stated that the current reform could only be a first step. “Moving forward, we have to consistently and comprehensively align the vehicle tax with CO2 emissions to achieve optimal steering effect.” However, this bill is an acceptable compromise between more incentives for climate protection and affordable mobility.
To meet climate targets, emissions must be reduced, especially in traffic. New electric car registrations are on the rise due to increased subsidies on government purchases, but are still at a low level.
