Drive types, fuels and emissions

According to the motorist price index, households in Germany spend 11.9% of their cost of living on transport. And: driving is getting more expensive, not only at the pump.

More than 15 million units sold worldwide: With the new generation, Toyota is expanding its plug-in-hybrid lineup and is betting on higher charging power, additional connectivity, and optimized driving dynamics.

In light of historically high diesel prices, the industry association sees existential risks for taxi, bus and freight transport and calls for nationwide coordinated steps.

The Bavarian taxi association proposes a rapid transitional solution in light of the energy price developments. A fixed surcharge per ride could apply until autumn 2026 – with a clearly defined exit mechanism.

The Kia EV3 combines a compact size with an astonishing amount of interior space. With the electric SUV, the taxi specialist Intax expands its portfolio with a compact electric option offering a good range.

(dpa/tmn) More space, more range: Toyota brings the C-HR+ with up to 607 kilometers Teaser: Thanks to a 2.75-meter wheelbase, 416 liters of trunk space and fast charging capability, the new electric SUV is aimed at customers with premium space and performance requirements.

The XPeng G6 charges to 80 percent in around twelve minutes and achieves up to 535 kilometers of range. INTAX now provides suitable taxi and rental-car packages, including a vehicle wrap.

For taxi operators who rely on electromobility, Tesla vehicles have been among the more conspicuous alternatives in the fleet in recent years. But anyone who currently wants to convert a Tesla into a taxi or rental car will encounter a pause in the system. According to conversion specialist Intax from Oldenburg, such conversions cannot be carried out at present.

This year, Mercedes is celebrating 140 years of the automobile. Among all trends toward electrification, it is easy to overlook that ninety years ago, with the Mercedes 260 D of the W 138 series, a diesel engine entered a passenger car for the first time. Even today, diesel remains one of the most efficient powertrains in cars.

The Chinese manufacturer BYD continues to expand its presence in Europe – and is increasingly aligning itself with vehicle concepts that have been in demand here for years. An example of this is the new plug-in hybrid wagon BYD Seal 6 DM-i Touring. The model was presented at the IAA Mobility and is now available to order in several European markets. For the taxi and rental car business, the hybrid wagon is an interesting alternative.

The partnership connects London's cultural and transport sectors. In addition to logistics for almost two million visitors per year, sustainability and accessibility goals are at the forefront.

World premiere in Stuttgart: Mercedes presents the VLE and VLS — and Die Taxi Heute was there. With the new generation of the V-Class, Mercedes wants nothing less than to redefine the van segment—from the family van through shuttle services to premium transport.

In response to a letter from the Taxi and Rental Car Association dated March 6, the regulator responds and points to ongoing examinations in the fuel market as well as existing antitrust boundaries.

President Gregor Beiner held discussions with the European Commission and Members of the European Parliament on decarbonisation, autonomous vehicles and the initiative “Clean Corporate Vehicles”.

Toyota has recently comprehensively revised its first large-series battery-electric model. The bZ4X originally hit the market in 2022. With the current facelift, Toyota primarily aims to improve those aspects that are decisive in daily use: efficiency, charging behavior, and range. The current model is now also available to order as a taxi from Intax.

Since the beginning of the Iran War, fuel costs have risen significantly. The Taxi and Rental Car Association of Germany demands government intervention, including tax measures and antitrust investigations.

The latest escalation in the Middle East has set energy markets worldwide in motion. Diesel prices in Germany have risen noticeably – significantly stronger than in neighboring countries. Within a few days, the price per liter of diesel here rose by up to 30 euro cents, an increase of around 15 percent. Across Europe, the rise was comparatively modest at three to five percent.

Big things are ahead for the world's oldest car manufacturer. According to Mercedes-Benz, the new VLE marks the beginning of a new era: The all-electric van is set to carve out its own market segment as a "Grand Limousine".

The switch to electric vehicles is causing ongoing tensions in Greece. Trade unions point to the lack of charging infrastructure and criticize planned regulations for chauffeur services.

(dpa/lno) The Senate is increasing funding for electric taxis. Financial subsidies are intended to accelerate the replacement of remaining internal-combustion vehicles and to secure operations with additional charging points.

With the new two-and-a-half-liter diesel, taxi and rental-car operators, alongside families and fleets, gain another powertrain option that, according to the manufacturer, is intended to enable lower operating costs and additional flexibility in daily use.

A new collaboration enables electric taxi and fleet operators across Europe to reduce their annual charging costs by up to 43 percent. The basis for this is access to more than 1.3 million charging points.

For Tesla, 2025 was a difficult year in several respects. Internationally, the U.S. electric-car pioneer had to relinquish its top position: The Chinese manufacturer BYD overtook it and, with nearly 2.3 million pure electric cars sold, posted more sales than Tesla. And in Europe as well the balance of power shifted. There, Volkswagen now leads the sales ranking.

The city financially supports businesses in purchasing an electric vehicle and thereby aims to assess cost-effectiveness and acceptance.

Tesla surprises with figures that also signal a profound strategic shift. Behind the snapshot lies a fundamental break. For the first time in a year, annual revenue declines, net profit falls significantly. At the same time, Tesla bids farewell to two models that once defined the company.

Electric cars are seen as a symbol of technological progress: quiet, connected, efficient. But precisely this connectivity is increasingly bringing them into the focus of security authorities. In Poland, the Ministry of Defence is now reacting—and has imposed the first driving and parking bans on vehicles from Chinese manufacturers.

If you're on the road in winter with an electric car, you know the feeling: The display promises a lot, but the reality on the highway demands a charging stop sooner than expected. The ADAC has this tension field measured again – this time not with particularly long-range cars, but with 14 "family-friendly" electric cars. The task: a simulated long-distance trip from Munich to Berlin, at zero degrees Celsius, at highway speed. The result is sobering and informative at the same time.

The PV5 is designed as a mobility tool – positioned between a passenger car and a commercial vehicle. This intermediate role shapes its presence: not as much a transporter as many delivery vans, not as much a passenger car as classic vans. In doing so, Kia is aiming for its own niche, where flexibility is not only promised but actively built in. We tested the passenger variant around Barcelona.

Current data from the telematics specialist Geotab show that modern vehicle batteries can deliver strong performance throughout their entire lifespan – even taking into account more frequent fast charging sessions.

(dpa/tmn) The flood of new brands and models will not stop in 2026 either. Topic No. 1 remains electric mobility, but there will also be new internal-combustion engines and a few technology trends beyond the drivetrain.

The transition to electric propulsion is regarded in the taxi and rental-car industry as a necessary but complex step. Charging infrastructure, billing systems, and operating processes must fit together for electromobility to function in everyday life. Against this backdrop, the Bundesverband Taxi und Mietwagen (BVTM) has formed a new partnership: The Aachen-based IT service provider SMART/LAB now belongs to the circle of association partners.

The debate over the so-called combustion-engine phase-out is heating up again. The automotive industry and politics, especially in Germany, are pressing for a relaxation of the emission targets planned by the European Union. The focus is on a target set by the EU Commission for the year 2035: Instead of a complete exit from fossil powertrains, CO₂ emissions of new cars should fall by 90 percent compared with 2021.

The uptake of electromobility remains sluggish. The reason for this cannot be reduced to a single cause. This is the result of a representative Electromobility Survey, commissioned by ACV Automobil-Club Verkehr from the market research institute Civey. One thing is particularly striking: the perception of electric cars differs significantly depending on whether people are already driving electric or continue to rely on the internal combustion engine.

A few weeks ago, BMW announced that from 2028 the X5 would be built as a production model with a fuel cell. Together with Toyota, the company is developing a fuel-cell system for future vehicles. The goal is to meet the mobility needs of diverse customer groups worldwide – alongside battery-electric cars, the fuel cell should serve as a complement, especially where BEVs reach their limits.

The electrification of the taxi industry is often framed as a political objective. How it works in everyday life remains a challenge for many taxi operators. In Berlin, a research project of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is to help analyze the situation.

Electrification is entering the everyday life of taxi work. With the Kia PV5 from AMF Bruns, a fully electric van now takes the stage, one that also considers people with mobility impairments. With the conversion, the EV van becomes a practical, wheelchair-accessible universal vehicle.

Cold weather noticeably reduces the range of electric cars and extends charging times. Tests show, particularly on short trips, significant increases in energy consumption. At the same time, electric cars offer practical advantages in winter, such as emissions-free preheating.

The Hamburg Taxi Day, which was hosted at the premises of Vattenfall, once again showed how closely regulation, economic pressure and the transformation of mobility are interwoven. On the panel were Jan Weber (Hansafunk), Jan Grupe (Taxenunion Hamburg), Tim Erhardt (Freenow) and Michael Oppermann, Managing Director of the Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars. The session was moderated by Dirk Ritter from the Hamburg Mobility Authority.

ACE calls for simplified tariff structures, clear cost disclosures, and a market-transparency authority for electricity tariffs. A test drive reveals substantial price differences between electric cars and internal combustion engine vehicles, as well as hundreds of varying charging tariffs at only a few stations.

(dpa/tk) Lufthansa CEO Spohr regards e-fuels as sensible mainly in aviation and calls for a public debate about their deployment. In road traffic, it is far more efficient to rely on electric cars than to operate vehicles powered by e-fuels.

(dpa) The EU member states want to postpone the pan-European start of an emissions trading scheme in the transport and building sectors. That has implications for Germany.

The Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Nio is expanding the functionality of its battery-swapping stations in Sweden and, for the first time, has received approval to participate in local grid frequency regulation. According to the trade portal CNEVpost, the grid operator Svenska kraftnät has incorporated the company's stations into the Swedish system for frequency stabilization (FCR-D).

The CO₂ pricing makes gasoline and diesel more expensive, the Deutschlandticket price is rising, and electric cars stay tax-free for longer. The commuter allowance is also being adjusted. What drivers and professional commuters need to know from 2026.

Leipzig aims to accelerate the transition to electric taxis. After a controversial debate, the city council decided to expand the charging infrastructure at mobility stations. As a result, taxi companies will in the future also benefit from new charging options.

Many manufacturers have withdrawn from the segment of large sedans—not so Volvo. The Swedes master the difficult balancing act and combine electric drive, the upper class, and a touch of the luxury segment with the ES90.

(dpa/tk) In the northwest of Berlin, a large-scale trial is beginning these days that is likely to be of interest to the taxi industry: The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) are launching their largest pilot project to date on autonomous driving. Five fully electric minibuses will be on the roads in the coming weeks in the districts of Spandau, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Reinickendorf – at first still without passengers.

Toyota already has two compact mid-size crossovers on the market with the C-HR and bZ4x. Now, with the C-HR+, an electric version is added. That also means for the taxi operator: plenty of choice among the Japanese in an important segment.

(dpa) Until recently, the VW Group and Porsche were highly ambitious about electrification. But in view of weak figures and a China slowdown, VW CEO Oliver Blume is backpedaling and now regards the planned ban on combustion engines as "unrealistic." He calls for more flexibility. In the Chancellery, he still had further proposals in tow.

(dpa/tk) The automobile bosses are frequent guests of the government in Berlin. Now Friedrich Merz will also become the car chancellor and promises the industry backing in a difficult situation. What was left at the end of the day? No formal decision, but a postponement of the debate - but: Merz wants to stop Brussels' strict "ban on combustion engines".

(ots) An analysis of nearly one million charging points shows: The European Union has only reached 26 percent of its 2030 targets. Large differences between the individual countries: Norway and the Netherlands lead, Germany sits in the middle of the pack. Retail is becoming a driver of charging infrastructure.

If Chancellor Friedrich Merz meets with the leaders of the auto industry this Thursday, it is about more than production figures and sales markets. It is about a symbol – and about the question whether Germany sticks to its course by not allowing any new cars with internal combustion engines from 2035 onward.

(dpa) Mercedes-Benz sells fewer vehicles – especially in China and the United States, the figures continue to decline. How electric cars and the Swabians' luxury models fare in the third quarter.

The Chancellor's auto summit this week is met with high expectations by the Taxi and Rental Car Association (TMV). President Thomas Kroker and Managing Director Patrick Meinhardt call for a clear line in German automotive policy that goes beyond short-term symbolic politics.

(dpa / kk) For many taxi operators, the economic viability of their fleets plays a decisive role – especially when transitioning to electric mobility. Now there is tailwind from Berlin: The federal government intends to extend the vehicle tax exemption for electric vehicles until 2035. That is also an important signal for the taxi industry. Because those who opt for an electric taxi in the coming years can continue to benefit from a substantial tax relief.

Recently, reports made the rounds in the media that Mercedes can no longer supply replacement batteries for the Smart ED. That also worries owners of older electric cars from other brands, such as the BMW i3, the Renault Zoe, the VW e-Up, or the Nissan Leaf—and, of course, owners of current electric vehicles as well. Are electric cars nothing but e-waste after a few years if the battery fails?

Bolt, the platform operator for rental car and ride-hailing services, is renewing the fleet of its car-sharing service Bolt Drive in Germany. By the end of October, 400 vehicles are to be put into service gradually—350 Toyota Yaris and 50 Toyota Yaris Cross. All cars are equipped with hybrid powertrains and will be leased to Bolt for two years through the Toyota mobility provider KINTO.

BYD continues its mission to "conquer Germany." The BYD Seal 6 DM-i Touring is intended to deliver the breakthrough. The plug-in hybrid estate performs well but shows a few minor weaknesses. Intax, the conversion specialist from Oldenburg, plans to be able to supply the estate as a taxi from November 2025. Our colleague Wolfgang Gomoll from press-inform has extensively tested the BYD Seal 6 DM-i Touring.

From 2026, Mercedes will expand its van portfolio with the VLE and VLS models. The modular Van.ea platform enables up to 500 kilometers of range, all-wheel drive, and 800-volt technology. The Sprinter will also receive an electric version in the future.