Company, business and industry news (other)

The London black cab is entering the next round. The manufacturer LEVC has announced that in 2027 it will bring a completely new taxi model to market. Geely is therefore continuing to rely on LEVC to deliver accessible, purpose-built vehicles for professional passenger transport.

Shortly before the Berlin state election, the mobility platform Bolt is distributing 1,000 free doner kebabs. While the company is mobilizing against planned minimum prices in the taxi and rental-car sector, the Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars speaks of a political advertising campaign with a questionable message.

On September 20, Berliners will elect a new state parliament. For the taxi and rental-car sector, this is about far more than the question of the next governing mayor. Minimum fares, the regulation of Uber and Bolt, and the role of taxis in the mobility transition are among the topics on which the parties place notably different emphases.

At the IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover, not only parcel delivery services and trades businesses are in focus. Many of the new vans could soon also operate as accessible and multi-passenger taxis. Faster charging technology, longer ranges, and flexible interior concepts are changing the outlook for electrically powered passenger transport.

The TMV has placed its demands for a reform of the passenger transport law in the Bundestag. In a conversation with the Green Party MP Victoria Broßart, the focus was mainly on platform ride-hailing cars, the cash-register requirement, and the economic situation of the operators.

Taxi and rental-car companies see themselves not only as mobility service providers but also as part of the local community's social life. In a conversation with CSU Member of the Bundestag Stephan Mayer, the VSPV advocated that the industry's voluntary engagement be given greater consideration in the political debate.

To mark the 140th anniversary of innovation, Mercedes-Benz is on a transcontinental journey worldwide. Currently, the convoy is touring Africa and will traverse Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. In addition to the Equator, Nairobi National Park and the Kilimanjaro mountain range, the S-Class can expect many more highlights on the African continent.

Taxi drivers know the daily routine between the train station, the hospital and the airport. Cindy from Styria, on the other hand, has a somewhat more unusual workplace: She drives tourists in a 1,217-horsepower monster truck through an active open-pit ore mine. The television calls it the "world's biggest taxi" – and that's not entirely wrong.

A study commissioned by the car rental lobby portrays German taxi fares as overpriced and calls for more price competition. But the comparison omits central cost factors. Those who only look at the fare overlook why taxis in Germany operate differently than many platform models.

For taxi companies that rely on Tesla electric vehicles, the taxi conversion will become easier in the future. The Austrian taximeter manufacturer HALE has presented a technical solution that is intended to speed up installation, reduce costs, and render additional hardware unnecessary.

The warning is unusually clear. In a circular to its members, the Association of Sick- and Disabled-Transport Services NRW (VdKBf NRW) is sounding the alarm. The trigger is a letter from the Association of Substitute Health Insurers (vdek), which already indicates how the statutory health insurers intend to interpret the new statutory requirements for remuneration development from 2027.

From 1 November 2026, passengers in Bremen will be able to agree on a binding fare for pre-booked taxi rides. The Hanseatic City of Bremen thus uses an option that the PBefG has already provided for since 2021 — and at the same time responds to the growing competitive pressure from platform providers such as Uber and Bolt.

The Mobility Association VSPV and the Social Association of Germany (SoVD) want to push the Inclusion Taxi forward politically. At a meeting in Berlin, the two organizations agreed on further steps to permanently anchor the service in social law and to establish it as a fixed component of an inclusive public transport system.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has started production of the revised Caddy in Poznań, Poland. The model features a modernized design, considerably more standard equipment and new digital functions. For taxi operators, the high-roof van remains especially interesting due to its flexibility, barrier-free conversion options and the plug-in hybrid drive.

The taxi and rental car industry is facing important legal and economic turning points. At the action day for ride services on September 19 in Ahlen, industry representatives, lawyers and entrepreneurs will discuss two topics that directly affect the future of many businesses: the GKV Contribution Rate Stabilization Act and the consequences of a recent court decision on taxi special agreements.

Five years after the reform of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG), the BVTM (Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars) advocates targeted further development of the legal framework. Central to this are digital matchmaking platforms, stronger enforcement of existing regulations, and greater leeway for municipalities.

With the reappointment of Christian Hirte as State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport, the mobility association VSPV has clear expectations. The association calls for a comprehensive evaluation of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG) and advocates for a broad dialogue about the future of taxi, rental cars, and public transport.

The mobility association VSPV and the Taxpayers' Federation want to cooperate even more closely in the future. At the center are economic policy issues, the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises, and questions of mobility and infrastructure policy. For VSPV members, the cooperation also brings a concrete added value: They will receive one year of free access to the services of the Taxpayers' Federation.

The insolvency of the United Taxi Center Gütersloh and Verl affects not only around 70 employees and numerous passengers. With the end of operations, 17 taxi licenses also become available. For the remaining companies, this thus opens up a rare opportunity – while at the same time the licensing authority faces a difficult task.

Platform economy, competition distortions and the question of how mobility in rural areas can be secured: The VSPV is seeking to join forces with an influential partner of the German economy, the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK).

With the shutdown of operations, nine taxi licenses in Gütersloh and eight in Verl will be lost. 70 employees are affected. There will also be gaps in patient transport.

A nationwide strike brings taxi traffic to a standstill in many areas on August 27. The taxi union Uritaxi is not participating in the strikes and is pursuing negotiations instead of industrial action.

Right of way in road traffic is regarded as one of the clearest principles. Those on a priority road may generally rely on other road users to yield. But this trust has its limits. This is impressively demonstrated by a ruling of the Frankenthal Regional Court dated August 14, 2026.

As the drivers of a Hofer taxi company wanted to put their vehicles into operation on Saturday morning, they were met with an unusual sight: more than 30 taxis had been smeared with orange paint overnight. In addition, the previously unknown perpetrators had left a pungent-smelling liquid on the vehicles. What initially appears to be a particularly annoying case of vandalism could have significant economic consequences for the affected company.

Anyone currently driving through Vienna, Graz, or Linz might encounter them: 15 taxis that not only transport passengers but also carry a message. On their bodies they advertise the campaign "No More E-Fears!", with which the Austrian Ministry of Mobility aims to reduce reservations about electric mobility.

(dpa) The US company had automatically suspended drivers' accounts, without informing them. The Dutch data protection authorities ruled that this was a violation of European law.

When people today talk about Mercedes-Benz station wagons, many think of the T-model of the 123 series. Since its introduction in 1977, this body style has been firmly part of Mercedes-Benz DNA. What is less well known, however, is that the history of Stuttgart's station wagons began much earlier — and not in Sindelfingen, but in the Belgian city of Liège.

The planned reform of the cash-register regulations is intended to make tax evasion more difficult and to improve the traceability of business transactions. In the taxi and rental-car industry, the plan is generally welcomed. But even before the legislative process is completed, a new conflict is looming.

The accelerated transition to electric mobility is injecting more activity into the vehicle market of the taxi and rental-car industry. Retrofit specialist Adler is now expanding its existing program with two additional models: alongside the already presented Xpeng G6, the Xpeng P7+ sedan and the G6 SUV in pale ivory will now also be available.

If you have listened to Elon Musk over the past ten years, you know the pattern. Almost every year the Tesla chief announced the breakthrough in autonomous driving. Almost every year the timeline shifted. For many observers, the robotaxi developed into perhaps the most well-known future promise of the automotive industry – and at the same time one of its most persistent long-running projects.

For a long time, sustainability was mainly considered a topic for industrial companies, energy providers or large corporations. In the meantime, the view has changed. Climate protection, resource efficiency and social responsibility have also become important competitive factors in the transport sector – the taxi trade is already putting this into practice.

There are quite a few people who consider the taxi color to be unfashionable and ugly. Now the luxurious Maybach of basketball star LeBron James is being auctioned off. Mercedes has equipped the vehicle in the Manufaktur program with all imaginable luxury, and has chosen a light ivory tone as its exclusive color!

The challenges facing the taxi and rental car industry are diverse: rising costs, the competition with platform providers, the shortage of skilled workers, and political debates about the future of passenger transport. The Taxi Federation of Lower Saxony therefore relies on direct dialogue with the business owners on site. This week, a dialogue tour is stopping in five cities in Lower Saxony.

The Fürstenfeldbruck Taxi Radio Cooperative e.G. urges the district office to examine the introduction of a minimum fare for rental cars. The appeal is addressed to District Administrator Thomas Karmasin. Link to the petition at the end of the article!

While platform providers like Uber have long since established themselves in many German cities, their expansion in Rhineland-Palatinate is still at a comparatively early stage. It is precisely there that the MOLO Mobility Association sees an opportunity.

Already in its tenth year, the Deutsche Bank Research Institute publishes the study "Mapping the World’s Prices." In 2026 as well, among other things, the global taxi prices of various capitals will be compared.

The debate about the future of public transport has been caught in a contradiction for years. On the one hand, the expansion of buses and trains is being invoked as the key to the mobility transition. On the other hand, crowded trains, reduced schedules, and poorly served regions show that conventional line services alone cannot solve many mobility problems.

Why the platform economy in the car rental market still fails to live up to its own rules – and why the return obligation is more relevant than ever. A short story from the capital.

Turbulent days in Berlin. First the surprising ouster of Patrick Schnieder, then the already-discussed successor Fritz Güntzler – and now Steffen Bilger takes over the Ministry of Transport. The taxi trade is now looking on with anticipation at the new man at the top.

The evaluation of the reform of the PBefG was supposed to provide answers. Instead, it has raised mainly new questions. At least the VSPV has come to this conclusion, which, through the investigation by the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt), sees its criticism of parts of the reform as confirmed.

The news came as a surprise, even though it had apparently been in preparation in Berlin for days. Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder (CDU) loses his post as part of a cabinet reshuffle. According to information from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur and ARD's Hauptstadtstudio, the CDU member of the Bundestag from Lower Saxony, Fritz Güntzler, is set to take over the post. An official confirmation had not yet been issued.

Toyota announces in a recent press release that it intends to intensify its partnership with Uber. The offering is targeted at central European markets and builds on the high popularity of Toyota models in the European ride-hailing segment, according to the automaker. It's a pity that Toyota's engagement in taxis, however, seems to be waning – so far the Japanese have not booked a stand at this year's taxi trade fair in Cologne!

It is still only a discussion. But even the possibility already causes unrest in many companies. The federal government is considering abolishing the tax- and social-security-related special status of mini-jobs as part of a comprehensive reform of the social security systems. The BVTM asks in the industry.

The SMART/LAB Innovationsgesellschaft mbH (Smartlab) offers BVTM members an exclusive charging card offer. This makes it easier for Smartlab to enter electromobility and at the same time enables access to a Europe-wide charging network.

Fewer and fewer people are taking taxis - but anyone who concludes that Uber & Co. are only bit players in the crisis is missing the point. In the article "Taxi Crisis in Germany: Is Uber Really to Blame?" the FAZ mainly attributes societal changes as the cause. Why platforms with price pressure, social dumping, and questionable business models nevertheless play a central role.

(dpa) While the real list prices of comparable electric vehicles have fallen significantly since 2020, internal-combustion cars have become more expensive. Researchers see several reasons why this development could continue.

(dpa/tk) The demand for electric cars is picking up again. That gives the carmaker Tesla a tailwind for its production plans. Now the complete value chain – from the battery to the finished vehicle – is to be consolidated in Grünheide.

From the former announcements about how quickly autonomous driving and especially driverless taxis were supposed to enrich our daily lives, not much has remained, especially in Europe. Now Waymo also wants to take off in Europe – and is becoming a threat to traditional taxis.

(dpa) The US corporation is taking over the Berlin-based meal delivery service and commits to maintaining the Berlin headquarters as well as the jobs there until at least 2029.

Waymo knows more about its passengers than they sometimes like. The case of two teenage passengers in San Mateo highlights the high degree of surveillance, but also the associated possibilities.

While European transport policy is mainly geared towards electrification, some industrial companies are trying to answer another question with data instead of fundamental debates: How much climate protection can be achieved with the vehicles that are already on the roads?

With the GB 38031–2025 standard, China is setting the facts on the ground that reshape the safety debate around electric cars. How this makes electric cars even safer - and why taxi operators are affected by it.

(dpa) After a significant jump, fuel is for the first time since mid-May again above the psychologically important threshold. Gasoline is also on the rise.

Sometimes the future of an industry is decided in a paragraph that hardly anyone outside of professional circles knows, or: why a draft bill in Berlin is currently occupying not only health insurers, but also taxi and car-rental companies.

Anyone in the Görlitz district who orders a taxi in the future will have to dig a little deeper into their pockets. The district council has approved an adjustment of the transport charges. This is the first tariff change since 2022, and it takes into account the increased costs of the operators at almost all levels.

Anyone who believed that the dispute over the return obligation had been settled for the time being by the ruling of the Federal Court of Justice might have been mistaken. Not even a month after the Karlsruhe judges confirmed the regulation, there is already discussion about new models that could significantly mitigate its practical consequences.

A letter from a federal ministry can sometimes mean the end of an initiative for associations. For the Mobility Association VSPV, it was the start of a new round of talks, because a provisional “No” simply means that more persuasion work must be done.

Sometimes a personnel decision tells more about an industry than any market analysis. Thomas Mohnke is such a case: about the Uber-satrap in Germany – and the new owner of the venerable Taxi Frankfurt eG.

A few years ago, the partnership between Volkswagen and Bosch was regarded as one of the most ambitious technology projects in the German automotive industry. Together the two groups aimed to develop systems for automated driving that would be deployed not only in premium vehicles but also in mass-market models.

By now, in the tranquil district south of the federal capital, there is one rental car for every 111 inhabitants. Such figures, at first glance, seem like a statistical outlier, but they are in fact an alarming signal of bureaucratic inaction and administrative failure.