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All new taxis in the Netherlands will be clean and quiet by 2030. And from 2025 in major cities. A year after this ambition has been expressed, State Secretary Heijnen (Infrastructure and Water Management) is taking the next step: it will be possible for municipalities to add taxis to areas where only vehicles that drive without exhaust gases (zero emission zones) come. 

“Taxis cover a lot of miles in the city. So this is a nice step towards a cleaner environment with less traffic noise. I think it is very important that we make these agreements in close contact with the sector. It is not easy for many taxi entrepreneurs, so I really want to make sure that the switch to an electric taxi or hydrogen taxi is feasible for them”.

Signature 
Today, the State Secretary, together with five large municipalities and a number of representatives of the taxi industry, is signing the plan that cities may decide from 2025 that only emission-free taxis may enter their city. It expresses the ambition to make this legally possible. This further fleshes out the agreement in the Climate Agreement to make transport more sustainable. 

Switch for entrepreneurs
With the current prices at the pump, electric driving is advantageous for many drivers, such as taxi drivers. But the switch to electric or hydrogen does require an investment. The government wants taxi entrepreneurs to be able to make the switch to an emission-free taxi at a time of investment that suits them. That is why a transitional arrangement is being worked out for existing vehicles. This means that drivers whose car is still relatively new will have more time and can therefore still enter the center. It is the intention that from 2025 all new taxis will run without emissions in the participating municipalities. 

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Zero emission zones for clean air in the city
It was already known that cities will be allowed to introduce a zero-emission zone for trucks and vans from 2025. Municipalities can therefore choose to expand that zone with taxis. A zero-emission vehicle is a vehicle whose propulsion does not cause harmful emissions, such as a vehicle powered by electricity or hydrogen. 

Municipalities themselves are responsible for establishing a zero-emission zone. There are 26 municipalities that plan to do this in the coming years. The municipalities that are also signing the new taxi agreements today are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven and Tilburg. Other municipalities can join later, according to the National government.

The agreement framework is signed by:

  • KNV
  • ElaadNL Foundation
  • Dutch Sustainable Energy Association
  • Uber
  • Schiphol Taxi
  • Bolt
  • Lease plan
  • Municipality of Amsterdam
  • Municipality of The Hague
  • Eindhoven municipality
  • Municipality of Rotterdam 
  • Municipality of Tilburg

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