E-taxis in Baden-Württemberg: future or environmental protection illusion?

E-taxis in Baden-Württemberg: future or environmental protection illusion?

In Germany, the taxi industry is facing a fundamental turn: the switch to emission -free vehicles is increasingly required. In Hamburg, only emission -free taxis have been allowed since 2023, which has already meant that almost 700 out of a total of 3,000 taxis in the Hanseatic city is fully electric. Hamburg has also set up six fast loaders with twelve loading points at taxi stands to ensure the required charging infrastructure. Every new taxi must be emission-free, whereby large-scale and wheelchair taxis are only affected by this regulation from 2027. However, older combustion engines can continue to be operated, which serves a gentle transition to e-mobility. The city supports taxi entrepreneurs in the changeover to the electric drive to promote sustainable mobility. Baden-Württemberg looks different. Most of the approximately 8,000 taxis are still operated with diesel or petrol. The Ministry of Transport promotes the switch to e-taxis with a grant of 3000 euros per vehicle, but there is no obligation to change as it is in Hamburg. Minister Winfried Hermann supports the changeover, since taxis often run in urban areas and the loading times can be used efficiently. In Stuttgart, 50 to 60 e-taxis should be in use by the end of the year, but taxi drivers express skepticism with regard to the charging infrastructure and reach, as Thomas Laschuk, the chairman of the taxi association in Baden-Württemberg. Taxi Times reports.

the need for funding and the challenges

While Freiburg calls for an increase in the funding program for e-taxis, the ADAC advised that taxi companies should plan their own charging infrastructure on their operating furnaces. In Stuttgart there are already charging stations at three stands for taxis that enable free charging, and Karlsruhe is planning to set up public quick charging stations. However, the city sees no need for exclusive charging options for taxis.

To advance the switch to emission -free taxis nationwide, the Federal Association of Taxi and rental car (BVTM) presented a "federal schedule etaxi". The aim is to convert up to 80% of taxis in Germany to emission -free drives by 2030. For this purpose, the BVTM plans to promote up to 15,000 euros per e-taxi, whereby a monthly reduction in the funding amount is planned. As part of this plan, a secure electricity price control is also targeted by 2030, which is 30 cents per kWh for alternating current and 50 cents per kWh for direct current. A total of up to 390 million euros over the next eight years are to be made available for the purchase of e-taxis in order to save around 675,000 tons of CO₂ per year. The Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility explains funding programs in this context.

Finally, it can be said that the transformation to emission -free taxis is associated with challenges, but can be funded by targeted support and infrastructure measures. The divergent approaches between the cities and the different opinions within the industry illustrate the complexity of the topic and the need for a coordinated approach to achieve the climate goals in the transport sector.