Stockholm’s new city government wants to ban petrol, diesel and plug in hybrid cars from 2027 as part of an expanded environmental zone. The plan comes from the Social Democrats, the Green Party and the Left Party, who have formed a new coalition after the election and are now presenting their first budget.
A zero vision for traffic related air pollution
After a month in power, the three parties have agreed on a zero vision for deaths and serious illness caused by air pollution from traffic. In practice, this means that passenger cars powered by petrol or diesel, including plug in hybrids, would be banned in the enlarged zone from 2027. The ambition is to expand the restrictions as quickly as possible.
Cindy Falquet Lindh of the Green Party, the city’s new climate and environment commissioner, says the aim is not to make life harder for people who need to get around. She argues that cleaner air has an immediate effect on public health and says people die every year because of air pollution. She also sees many industries already moving towards electrification.
Subsidies and criticism of the national government
Falquet Lindh says the shift to electric cars will be eased with subsidies. She points out that the Swedish national government has stopped subsidising electric cars, which in her view has made the transition harder for households. The city, she says, will focus on making alternative transport attractive, but a progressive national government is needed so that switching to a cleaner car does not depend on the size of a person’s wallet.
The stalled environmental zone
The environmental zone planned for part of central Stockholm during the previous term stalled after the county administrative board overturned the city’s decision. The Swedish Transport Agency has since ordered a new review, and the city government is confident that the zone will be approved. If it is, the zone is to be extended to several other parts of the city.
The long term goal is for the entire inner city to be covered. An inquiry is to be appointed as soon as possible so that the expansion can begin during the current term.
What the current rules allow
In the current class 3 environmental zone, passenger cars, light trucks and light buses are allowed only if they are pure electric vehicles, gas vehicles meeting the Euro 6 emission class, or fuel cell vehicles. Plug in hybrids are not permitted. For heavy trucks and buses, pure electric, Euro 6 gas, fuel cell and Euro 6 plug in hybrid vehicles are allowed.
Studded tyre ban to widen
A ban on studded tyres already applies on Hornsgatan, Kungsgatan and Fleminggatan. From 1 October 2027 it will also cover Sveavägen, Birger Jarlsgatan, Torsgatan and Vasagatan. Next spring the city will examine a further expansion, with the goal of banning studded tyres across the whole inner city.
What it means for drivers
The proposal still depends on the outcome of the Transport Agency’s review, so the timeline for the zone is not yet certain. If it goes ahead, Stockholm would have one of the strictest low emission zones in Europe, with plug in hybrids treated the same as conventional petrol and diesel cars.
