Traffic light coalition wants to achieve a mobility transition without major restrictions

The designated traffic light coalition in Berlin has set itself the goal of using the 2020s as a breakthrough in mobility policy and aims to enable sustainable, efficient, barrier-free, intelligent, innovative, and affordable mobility for all. They intend to implement the goals in a dialogue-oriented manner and regularly review the measures, according to the 178-page draft of the coalition agreement.

"Achieving the Paris climate protection goals is our top priority. Climate protection ensures freedom, justice, and sustainable prosperity. The aim is to redefine the social market economy as a social-ecological market economy," the traffic light coalition fundamentally commits to Paris.

However, important points for this goal, such as an earlier phase-out of coal-fired power generation, remain vague with "ideally to be brought forward to 2030." They support "the introduction of an effective CO₂ border adjustment mechanism across Europe or similarly effective instruments," which is merely a demand from the FDP election program. And: They do rely on a rising CO₂ price as an important instrument, combined with a "strong social balance," an allusion to the "energy money" proposed by the Greens during the election campaign.

"What is good for the climate becomes cheaper – what is bad becomes more expensive," promise the future coalition partners.

They also want to revise the European Emissions Trading Scheme and the Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG) in line with the EU's "Fit for 55" program and support the European Commission's plans to strengthen the existing emissions trading. Additionally, they promise to advocate "especially at the European level" for an ETS minimum price and for the creation of a second emissions trading system for the sectors of heating and mobility (ETS 2). Furthermore, the CO₂ price should "not fall below 60 euros per ton" in the long term. A separate, fixed CO2 price path is not further mentioned. The paper does not provide really concrete and short-term guidelines.

Ministry of Transport goes to the FDP

The biggest surprise, however, is that the Ministry of Transport, still the most financially powerful department, does not go to the Greens but to the FDP, along with responsibility for "digitalization." FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing is being discussed. For the Greens, there would remain a newly created Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Climate, to flank the mobility transition from the energy side. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment will continue to exist, which also goes to the Greens and had so far mainly an advisory and informative function for the sector.

"We will make the necessary decisions to achieve our climate protection goals for 2030 and 2045 with the aim of decarbonizing the mobility sector and significantly accelerate practical implementation," states the draft with regard to the transport sector.

Mobility is a central component of public services, a prerequisite for equal living conditions, and the competitiveness of Germany's economic and logistics location with future-proof jobs. For this, we will expand and modernize the infrastructure and further develop the framework conditions for diverse mobility offers in urban and rural areas. Investments in transport infrastructure must continue to be increased and secured in the long term.

"We want to invest significantly more in rail than in roads to prioritize the implementation of projects for a Deutschlandtakt. For federal highways, we want to place a stronger focus on maintenance and rehabilitation, with a particular emphasis on engineering structures," declare the traffic lights.

They also aim for a new infrastructure consensus in federal transportation routes, involving the most important stakeholders. Cross-border traffic is to be strengthened, with the EU and its member states they want to establish night train offers. By 2030, the traffic light coalition aims to electrify 75 percent of the rail network and support innovative drive technologies. The digitalization of vehicles and routes is to be prioritized.

"We will maintain Deutsche Bahn AG as an integrated group, including the in-house labor market, in public ownership. We will make internal structures more efficient and transparent," affirms the future coalition.

The infrastructure units (DB Netz, DB Station and Service) of Deutsche Bahn AG will be merged within the group into a new, public-interest-oriented infrastructure division. This will remain 100 percent owned by Deutsche Bahn as a whole.

Public transport and new mobility offers

They want to enable states and municipalities to improve the attractiveness and capacities of public transport. The goal is to significantly increase passenger numbers in public transport. For seamless mobility, they commit transport companies and mobility providers to provide their real-time data under fair conditions. They aim to enable cross-provider digital booking and payment. The mobility data space will be further developed. Intermodal connections will be strengthened, and barrier-free mobility stations promoted.

"We will support digital mobility services, innovative mobility solutions, and car sharing and include them in a long-term strategy for autonomous and connected public traffic," underline the politicians.

To ensure that all new buses, including infrastructure, are climate-neutral as soon as possible, the federal government will extend the existing funding and make it more SME-friendly. They also advocate for fair working conditions in public transport. Mobility research will be interdisciplinarily upgraded, the Center for the Future of Mobility newly structured and expanded, and the Center for Rail Traffic Research strengthened.

Freight transport: Emission-free city logistics

They support regional freight transport concepts, promote emission-free city logistics such as loading zones and logistics hubs. The approval practice for heavy and large-capacity transports will be made easier. The control authorities will be strengthened and better social standards and working conditions enforced. Safe truck parking spaces on and around highways are to be expanded and telematically optimized, the shortage of skilled workers addressed, training modernized, and bureaucracy reduced.

"We advocate for the further development of CO2 fleet limits for commercial vehicles and support the European Commission's proposals for the construction of refueling and charging infrastructure for trucks," they further explain.

Truck toll from 3.5 tons and CO2 surcharge

In 2023, a CO2 differentiation of the truck toll will be carried out, including commercial road freight transport from 3.5 tons and introducing a CO2 surcharge, provided that double burdens due to the CO2 price can be excluded. We will use the additional income for mobility.

Automotive industry: Supporting transformation - Becoming the leading market for e-mobility

The coalition partners want to support the transformation process of the German automotive industry against the background of digitalization and decarbonization to preserve jobs and value creation. They will align framework conditions and support measures to make Germany the lead market for electromobility with at least 15 million electric cars by 2030, which would be one in three cars.

"According to the European Commission’s proposals, only CO2-neutral vehicles will be registered in Europe in the transport sector by 2035 – this will take effect accordingly earlier in Germany. Outside of the existing fleet limit system, we advocate that only vehicles that can be demonstrably refueled with e-fuels can be newly registered," it continues.

They also support the adoption of an ambitious and implementable EURO 7 emission standard, taking into account value creation and jobs.

"We will make Germany the lead market for electromobility, an innovation hub for autonomous driving, and massively accelerate the expansion of charging infrastructure," promises the traffic lights.

They will support the transition to electromobility in automotive regions through targeted cluster promotion. Federal cooperation and dialogue formats in the automotive sector will be bundled into a strategy platform "Transformation Automotive Industry" with mobility industry, environmental and transport associations, social partners, science, the Bundestag, states, and municipal umbrella organizations with the responsible federal departments to secure the goal of climate neutrality, value creation, and jobs and training places.

Expansion of charging infrastructure before the need arises

The expansion of charging infrastructure must precede the need, the coalition partners assess. Therefore, they will accelerate the proactive expansion of charging infrastructure with the goal of one million publicly and non-discriminatory accessible charging points by 2030, focusing on fast-charging infrastructure, cross-departmentally reviewing efficiency, and debureaucratizing. They rely on mobilizing private investments.

"Where competitive solutions do not take effect, we will ensure the reliable availability of charging points with supply obligations, where structurally possible," they emphasize.

This will be done by:

• Making the funding for the expansion of charging infrastructure more effective and efficient.
• Removing obstacles in approval processes, in the network infrastructure and connection conditions, and supporting municipalities in forward-looking planning of charging infrastructure.
• Enabling bidirectional charging.
• Creating transparent electricity prices and a publicly visible occupancy status.
• Accelerating the establishment of a nationwide network of fast-charging hubs and increasing the number of hubs put out to tender.

The Master Plan Charging Infrastructure will be swiftly revised, bundling necessary measures from the areas of construction, energy, and transport and focusing on the municipal networking of solutions. They advocate for ambitious expansion goals at the European level.

Make transport data available faster through law

A Mobility Data Act will be created to provide free access to transport data. In the Law on Autonomous Driving, rules will be improved, liability issues clarified, and user data sovereignty ensured.

The Traffic Regulations Act should be adapted

The coalition promises to adapt the Traffic Regulations Act and the Road Traffic Regulations so that "in addition to the fluidity and safety of traffic," the goals of climate and environmental protection, health, and urban development are taken into account to give states and municipalities decision-making leeway. They also want an opening for digital applications such as digital parking space control. In implementing Vision Zero, the traffic safety program will be further developed.

"There will be no general speed limit," is the clear rejection of a core demand of the Greens.

To educate young people early on about the dangers of road traffic, we will enable accompanied driving from 16 years. Additionally, more digital elements of driving lessons will be made possible, the digitalization of vehicle documents advanced, and the monopoly in the driving license examination lifted while maintaining existing quality standards. Emergency braking and distance assistants in commercial vehicles shall not be allowed to be switched off. Retrofitting of truck turning assistance systems will continue to be promoted until mandatory installation.

Cycling: Continue the national plan, expand infrastructure

The traffic light coalition announces that it will implement and continue the National Cycling Plan, expand and modernize the cycle path network, and advance the promotion of municipal cycling infrastructure. To strengthen cycling, funds will be secured until 2030, and the combination of cycling and public transport will be promoted. Pedestrian traffic will be structurally supported and backed up with a "national strategy."

Shipping: Shore power and alternative drives

They also want to develop a National Port Strategy. The share of shipping in freight transport should increase, and hinterland connections strengthened. Shore power and alternative drives and fuels should be promoted, and the fleet renewal program for climate-friendly inland shipping adapted.

Sustainably developing air traffic

They aim to sustainably and efficiently develop the German air transport industry as key sectors, create an air transport concept 2030+ for the future of airports in Germany through a comprehensive participation process, promote rail connections of hubs, and reduce the number of short-haul flights through better train connections, the politicians underline.

"Germany should become a pioneer in CO2-neutral flying while maintaining fair framework conditions in international competition. Our goal is to create fair framework conditions in international competition for effective climate protection in air traffic that effectively reduces emissions and avoids carbon leakage," the paper states.

Until the European decision on the introduction of a kerosene tax based on energy content, they will advocate for also introducing an air traffic tax across Europe as it is levied in Germany. Flight tickets in the EU should not be sold at a price below taxes, surcharges, fees, and charges.

Revenues from the air traffic tax to be used to promote the production and use of CO2-neutral electricity-based aviation fuels, as well as for research, development, and fleet modernization in aviation. They support ambitious quotas for Power-to-Liquid (PtL quotas) in air and shipping traffic to stimulate market growth and also promote a climate-neutral airport operation.

New Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan to be created
The coalition partners aim to launch a new Federal Transport Infrastructure and Mobility Plan 2040 based on new criteria, eliminate the coexistence of Autobahn GmbH and the German Unity Long-Distance Road Planning and Construction Company (DEGES). They want to reduce noise pollution from traffic, particularly advancing the reduction of intentional noise.

Hydrogen: Electrolysis capacity to increase significantly

Besides expanding infrastructure, they will significantly increase targets for electrolysis capacity, advance European and international climate and energy partnerships for climate-neutral hydrogen and its derivatives on equal footing, and introduce quotas for green hydrogen in public procurement to create lead markets. Hydrogen production in Germany is to be promoted, but viable technologies should also be promoted if the availability of green hydrogen is not yet sufficiently secured, in the interest of a rapid market ramp-up.

"We do not want to limit the use of hydrogen to specific application fields. Green hydrogen should be used primarily in economic sectors where it is not possible to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality through direct electrification of processes and procedures," it continues.

Germany as a center for battery cell research

Germany aims to become a center for research, manufacturing, and recycling of battery cells. Together with social partners and local actors, regional transformation and qualification clusters will be built. Germany is to gain as a global location for the semiconductor industry to secure, strengthen, and future-proof this key technology in Europe. The continuation and further development of European battery projects (IPCEI) and the establishment of further cell production sites, including recycling, in Germany are of central importance. Strengthening research on new sustainable battery generations is essential for this.

Create a circular economy

Finally, the paper includes a commitment to a circular economy, seen as effective climate and resource protection and an opportunity for sustainable economic development and jobs. The goal is to reduce the consumption of primary raw materials and create closed material cycles. In a "National Circular Economy Strategy," existing raw materials policy strategies should be bundled.

"Products must be durable, reusable, recyclable, and as repairable as possible. We will strengthen extended producer responsibility at the European level," the traffic lights state.