Hamburg to ban new diesel and gasoline taxis from 2025

The way in which we have habitually moved around in big cities is changing. The most polluting cars have increasingly banned access to urban centers, while other methods of public transport must adapt to changing times, or what is the same, to electric car technology.

This also includes the taxi sector, which is seeing how internal combustion engines are beginning to be endangered in the union’s fleet of vehicles. Especially with measures like the one implemented by the German city of Hamburg, which will ban new diesel and gasoline taxis from 2025.

Hamburg to ban new diesel and gasoline taxis from 2025

The ‘Future Taxi’ project that was presented in 2021 in the German port city has as its main objective the electrification of the taxi sector. This project has allowed 12% of the taxis in circulation to be electrified in two years, which is equivalent to 350 emission-free vehicles, 25 of which work with a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.

Current regulations require that cars with a combustion engine intended for taxis have no place in the city as of December 31, 2024, so all new vehicles that join the service must be electric or, failing that, of hydrogen.

“We hope that this decision in Hamburg will send a signal to Germany and all of Europe. The transport sector in particular must make rapid progress in climate protection,” said German Senator Anjes Tjarks.

However, the taxi sector in Germany faces the challenge of renewing its vehicles without purchasing aid. The aid of up to 9,000 euros that they could receive in the sector to renew cars for more efficient vehicles recently ran out and, in the absence of a new call, taxi drivers and companies in the union must now face the entire purchase.