Photo: AutoGuide.com
The controversial practices of German carmakers, coupled with the recent decision by the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig to allow the country’s local authorities to ban diesel cars’ access to city centers have taken their toll on sales performances for this type of cars.
After releasing sales figure for March, the German Federal Motor Transport Authority found that diesel sales dropped by 25 percent. Figures for the first month following the court ruling shows an accelerated decline, after the market registered drops in sales of 17 and 19 percent in January and February, respectively.
The diesel decline comes on the heels of a wider market decrease, total registrations in Germany falling by 3.4 percent for the period.
According to data compiled by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), diesel car registrations accounted for 45.8 percent of the German automotive market in 2016. At the end of this year, should the declining trend continue, that market share is likely to drop as well.
In an attempt to mitigate what may turn out to be a real disaster for diesel cars, the Volkswagen group announced last week a so-called environmental incentive campaign that would allow any German who owns a Euro 1 to Euro 4 emissions standard diesel vehicle to replace it with a newer, cleaner diesel.
The German court decision which seems to have seriously impacted the market came as a result of a suit filed by the Environmental Action Germany (DUH) against Stuttgart and Dusseldorf. Although applicable to all the cities in the country, the ruling doesn’t ban diesel cars per se, but will give local authorities power to ban their access from city centers if needed.
Germany is not the only country to begin rethinking the mid-term strategy regarding diesel cars. Authorities in Rome, Athens, Paris or Mexico City already announced plans to restrict access to polluting cars in a few years’ time.
The diesel decline comes on the heels of a wider market decrease, total registrations in Germany falling by 3.4 percent for the period.
According to data compiled by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), diesel car registrations accounted for 45.8 percent of the German automotive market in 2016. At the end of this year, should the declining trend continue, that market share is likely to drop as well.
In an attempt to mitigate what may turn out to be a real disaster for diesel cars, the Volkswagen group announced last week a so-called environmental incentive campaign that would allow any German who owns a Euro 1 to Euro 4 emissions standard diesel vehicle to replace it with a newer, cleaner diesel.
The German court decision which seems to have seriously impacted the market came as a result of a suit filed by the Environmental Action Germany (DUH) against Stuttgart and Dusseldorf. Although applicable to all the cities in the country, the ruling doesn’t ban diesel cars per se, but will give local authorities power to ban their access from city centers if needed.
Germany is not the only country to begin rethinking the mid-term strategy regarding diesel cars. Authorities in Rome, Athens, Paris or Mexico City already announced plans to restrict access to polluting cars in a few years’ time.
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