Brussels taxis given longer to become all-electric

Taxi drivers in Brussels will be given an extra two years to upgrade to electric vehicles following the adoption of a new ordinance by the region's parliament.

The postponement concerns 700 of the 3,250 vehicles currently in service and comes at the initiative of the PS party, Bruzz reports, with the support of future government partner MR, but not Les Engagés.

Prior to the new ordinance, all new taxis registered from 1 January 2025 would have to be emission-free because of rules drafted two years ago.

Of the 3,200 Brussels taxis in operation at that time, less than 200 ran exclusively on electricity. Brussels’ outgoing minister president Rudi Vervoort therefore asked for a postponement.

“The date of 1 January 2025 seems untenable to us – the taxi sector is not ready for that,” said Jamal Ikazban, one of the proposers of the postponement ordinance.

“Buying an electric car suitable for taxi operations is two to three times more expensive than a car with a combustion engine. Additionally, the driving range of electric cars is insufficient for taxi drivers travelling hundreds of kilometres a day.”

According to Ikazban, the charging infrastructure in Brussels is also not yet ready to handle a transition to emission-free taxis.

“The two-year delay is necessary to improve the infrastructure,” said Brussels MP Aline Godfrin. “It also gives the sector time to adapt.”

But these opinions are in contrast to the September report from an official task force that studied the issue.

“The task force clearly states that the charging station network is already sufficient, even if the taxi fleet were predominantly electric today,” said Ecolo senator John Pitseys.

“If one in five taxis were electric today, eight new charging stations would be needed, according to the advice. But since the report was drafted, not eight, but 1,000 new charging stations have been added. After the disastrous COP, we see here another example of ecological degradation.”

The task force's report also found that – theoretically – an electric taxi does not cost more than a petrol or diesel-powered taxi.

Celia Groothedde (Groen) is also unhappy with the PS proposal to delay the anti-pollution measure, which had been expected to lead to better health outcomes for Brussels residents.

“Why is this transition necessary? Because 200,000 Brussels residents, a sixth of the population, suffer from lung diseases or chronic respiratory problems,” said Groothedde. “Air pollution kills 900 Brussels residents every year.”

Brussels has already decided to postpone another anti-pollution measure: the enforcement of a low-emission zone, which drew major divides along party lines.

According to the Défi party, postponement of the taxi measure by just one year - instead of the two proposed - would be enough to increase the number of charging stations even more substantially.

The party, along with Les Engagés, demanded to know why the taskforce only published its study in September and asked to question the authors of the study in parliament, but that demand was rejected.

The postponement proposal will be discussed at the next plenary session of the Brussels parliament on Friday 6 December.