Environmental, climate protection and sustainability

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.

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.

(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.

(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.