German Diesel Verdict 'May Boost NGV Uptake'
A top German court ruling giving cities the power to restrict or ban older diesel cars is likely to benefit the uptake of natural gas vehicles, the country’s gas advocacy group Zukunft Erdgas has told NGW.
The Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) in Leipzig ruled February 27 that Stuttgart and Dusseldorf may legally ban older more polluting diesel cars from zones worst affected by pollution, thus overturning objections lodged in local courts by regional governments.
The case was brought to the Leipzig court by environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH). It said the verdict was a “resounding slap in the face of the federal government after several years of legal breach.” DUH leader Jurgen Resch called on the chancellor, Angela Merkel, to “finally free herself from the stranglehold of the auto industry.” The BBC said that DUH brought the case, after some 70 German cities exceeded EU limits for nitrogen oxides (NOx) in 2017.
The ruling enables cities to restrict access to diesel cars of Euro-4 emissions standard or older. But it said restrictions on Euro-5 standard diesel cars may not be implemented prior to September 2019. There must also be exemptions for certain tradespeople. Citing the ruling, Hamburg said February 27 it will introduce restrictions on older diesel cars using two main roads in the city.
Timm Kehler, CEO of German natural gas advocacy group Zukunft Erdgas (previously known as Erdgas Mobil) told NGW later that day: “This will certainly improve the positive perception of natural gas vehicles [NGVs] in Germany.” He argued that whereas manufacturing luxury diesel cars to Euro-6 standard is economically viable, making smaller cheaper diesel cars is not. NGVs in contrast do not need expensive exhaust-cleaning technology because their fuel (natural gas) is far cleaner.
Kehler said that 866 new NGVs were registered in Germany in January 2018, up almost 300% on the same month last year. He also said that Volkswagen – which owns the Audi, Porsche and Seat brands – is registering an order intake for NGVs that is twice as large as this time last year. Members of Zukunft Erdgas (in English: Gas Future) include 120 German and Austrian gas supply and technology firms.
In 2015 US authorities discovered that Volkswagen diesel cars had inbuilt software that could detect when they were being tested for emissions; the emission scandal led to fines imposed on Volkswagen and a slump in its sales and share price. Stuttgart, one of the cities wanting to restrict older diesel cars, is home to the luxury Porsche car factory.
Germany had 93,964 NGVs registered in 2017, according to global industry group IANGV. That however represents 0.18% of the total German vehicle fleet. In Europe's largest NGV market, Italy, there are 1mn NGVs, making up almost 2% of its total.