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exhaust or not?
FDP opposes CO2-dependent climate tax
Photo: Christoph Schmidt / picture alliance / dpa
A dispute has broken out in the traffic light coalition about a possible CO2-dependent climate tax for newly registered cars.
The economic policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, Reinhard Houben, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the coalition agreement applies.
“This does not provide for any penalty systems for combustion engines.” A “penalty on cars with combustion engines” is not a basis for negotiations with the FDP.
As the "Handelsblatt" reported, Federal Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is considering a new climate tax on new car registrations.
The newspaper referred to a strategy paper by the Federal Ministry of Economics.
Accordingly, a "CO2-dependent climate tax for new car registrations in combination with a continuation of the e-car premium" makes sense.
As a result, e-cars of the same ranking would become cheaper than the respective combustion-engine cars.
In addition, Habeck is also considering increasing the tax on company cars for fossil fuel burners by increasing the price of the monetary benefit for pure burners.
In the transport sector, climate targets were not achieved in 2021, so Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) had to present an immediate program.
For example, he is planning a major expansion of the charging network for electric cars.
However, environmental groups and above all the Greens had criticized the program as insufficient.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) had spoken out in favor of the end of state purchase premiums for the purchase of e-cars.
According to Habeck's alleged plans, the subsidy for plug-in hybrid cars is to be canceled at the end of 2022, earlier than planned.
Plug-in hybrids combine an electric motor and a combustion engine.
According to Habeck's plans, there should still be purchase premiums for pure electric cars, but smaller sums than before.
Environmental groups have long been calling for a "bonus-malus system" that should primarily apply to large, heavy, overpowered combustion sedans and SUVs.
"Anyone who buys a car with high fuel consumption and thus CO2 emissions should in future feel that such vehicles are no longer up-to-date," says BUND traffic expert Jens Hilgenberg.
»In return, the purchase of small e-cars with low energy and resource consumption must benefit above all.«
sol/dpa
