Environment, climate and accessibility

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.

With GO Fleet, the association is bringing on a provider that develops, among other things, solutions for wheelchair- and stretcher transports. The focus is on taxis, rental cars, ride services and patient transports.

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?

The VSPV continues its political work for the introduction of a statutory entitlement to inclusion taxis. In a meeting with the chair of the Bundestag's Committee on Labour and Social Affairs, Bernd Rützel, the association presented its proposals for codification in the Social Code.

(dpa) Fuel prices continue to fall. New ADAC data show how close diesel is already to pre-war prices and why further reductions could be possible.

The Karlsruhe City Senior Citizens' Council e.V. honors the company for the period 2026 to 2028. Among other things, it recognizes service quality, barrier-free access, and reliability in transportation for older people.

Around 3,000 vehicles are to be converted in the long term. Project partners and the administration will explain on 1 July in Hamburg how subsidies, charging options and policy framework conditions interact.

The city significantly expands its offering, increases daily operating capacity by 12.5 percent, and opens central parking spaces for additional vehicles from the airport.

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.

(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.

(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".

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) "Pseudo-debate" instead of a solution: Lower Saxony's Prime Minister accuses Markus Söder of unsettling car buyers with old slogans. The Bavarian Prime Minister is deliberately stoking consumers' fears in this way.

Volvo is under pressure. The traditional Swedish manufacturer is facing serious allegations: According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA), illegal defeat devices were installed in several diesel models, including the widely-used XC60 with Euro 5 standard. The legal assessment is clear - and consequential for Volvo.

EIT InnoEnergy appoints Christian Bauer as the new DACH CEO.

(dpa) Traffic often gets congested on the Paris ring road, and environmental pollution is high. Now a lane is being reserved for carpooling during rush hour. What is this supposed to achieve?

(dpa) Actually, the remote-controlled cars of the Berlin start-up Vay were primarily supposed to drive in Hamburg. However, due to better conditions, the rental cars are mainly operating in Las Vegas.