Zurich's e-mobility plan: too late and too timid for climate protection?

Zurich's e-mobility plan: too late and too timid for climate protection?

Something is happening in the world of electromobility in Zurich! With a new action plan that includes a total of 13 measures, the city wants to make its vehicle fleet climate-neutral by 2040. An ambitious goal that aims to reduce private car travel by 30% and promote the switch to electric vehicles. That and more reported Nah.

A central part of the plan is the construction of new charging stations. Among other things, a pilot project is planned in the districts of Binz and Alt-Wiedikon, which will start in autumn to examine the need for charging infrastructure. In addition, the entire city vehicle fleet is to be converted to electric vehicles.

Political reactions and criticism

Reactions to this action plan have been mixed. While the city government is approaching the implementation optimistically, there are clearly critical voices from the experts. Jürg Grossen, from the Swiss E-Mobility Association, criticizes the late announcement of the pilot project for 2025. Mobility researcher Thomas Sauter-Servaes is also calling for more speed in order to actually achieve the climate goals.

Politically there is also contradiction. The Greens and the Social Democratic Party express reservations about locating charging stations in public spaces and prefer parking garages. In contrast, the GLP calls for a comprehensive expansion of the charging infrastructure. The SVP, in turn, rejects targeted funding measures and relies on incentives for private charging stations. FDP President Përparim Avdili also sees the city as lagging behind and criticizes the city council's failures. In the spirit of a well-thought-out strategy, head of civil engineering Simone Brander (SP), who emphasizes that it is not about activism, but about sustainable planning.

Funding programs and support

A number of initiatives have already been launched in Hesse to promote electromobility. The Federal Ministry of Transport has been relying on comprehensive funding since 2017 with the “Funding Guideline for Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles in Germany”, which amounts to a total of 500 million euros by 2025. As part of this initiative, normal charging points and fast charging points are promoted in order to accelerate the expansion of charging infrastructure. The complete article is here BMV to read.

The canton of Zurich has also launched a funding program that particularly benefits small facilities and private parking spaces. For applications for charging infrastructure in single- and multi-family homes, there is the option of a simplified procedure for up to four parking spaces. The necessary steps to submit an application are explained on the canton's website, so that interested applicants are just a few mouse clicks away from their own charging point. We recommend taking a look at the details ZH.ch.

In summary, it can be said that Zurich has a responsibility to promote the active change to electromobility. The planned measures show the first steps in the right direction, but it is also clear that a joint effort is required to achieve these ambitious goals.