Electric taxis will not be mandatory even from 2032. Prague City Council has prioritized business interests over residents’ health

At first glance, in mid-January it seemed that the Prague City Council wanted to responsibly fulfill its commitments with regard to residents’ health and quality of life. In the end, however, part of the governing coalition prioritized the interests of some taxi operators.

City councillors initially approved—by majority—the proposal to adopt a regulation setting requirements for taxi vehicles, with the aim of aligning with the city’s strategic plans and air pollution limits. These are the very pollutants that pose the greatest threat to the health of Prague residents.

The regulation was intended to introduce, within 1.5 years, emission standards requiring taxi vehicles to meet Euro 6d or higher. By 2030, taxis were supposed to be fully zero-emission. However, the coalition SPOLU changed its position within 10 days, and at the January city assembly, a weakened version of the regulation was passed on the proposal of ODS—only introducing the Euro 6d standard from August 1, 2027.

The justification for the proposed regulation clearly explains why it was designed in this form:

• Taxi services account for more than one-tenth of Prague’s transport performance, and this share is expected to grow further. The number of taxi vehicles has been increasing exponentially in recent years.
• The number of kilometers driven within the city is more than five times higher than that of regular passenger cars (according to some sources, even more than ten times higher).
• Charging infrastructure is being developed to ensure sufficient capacity by 2030.
• The proposed regulation is one of a series of measures in the field of air protection and transport within the City of Prague that will be necessary in order to reduce air pollutant emissions by nearly 50% for NO₂ and by 50% for PM2.5, thus meeting the legal limits applicable from 2030.
• The measure is included in the Strategy for Supporting Alternative Fuels, and the requirement to improve air quality also follows from the Strategic Plan of the City of Prague.

The regulation had been consulted with operators since the beginning of last year and allowed sufficient time for preparation. Its weakened version, on the other hand, creates uncertainty—stricter rules will eventually come anyway, only without clarity on when or in what form.

Emission limits are not just numbers that would lead to fines for the city—they are directly linked to the health of the urban population. As the justification also states, this is not the only measure needed to meet the limits. However, coalition partners—who together with the opposition block many transport-related proposals—have so far not come forward with alternative solutions that would address the situation.

Introducing a low-emission zone, restricting transit through the city center, parking reform, or road pricing—these are all measures that can help meet the legally required air pollution limits by 2030 and gradually provide effective protection for Prague residents against health risks.

The current city leadership still has half a year to demonstrate that they truly care about the city’s inhabitants and voters.

The topic was also covered by Deník N in the article Prague must rethink its love of cars if it does not want air full of pollution. The coming struggle over taxis will show the way.”

Cover photo: ŠJů, Wikimedia Commons