Madrid to launch smart parking meters that charge highly polluting vehicles 20% more!

It’s no secret that Madrid is one of the world’s most polluted cities. While city officials continue a long raging battle against air pollution, the country has come up with a fantastic smart parking meter system that will charge based on vehicle emissions! From the 1st of July, 2014, parking a diesel or any other high-emission vehicle in Madrid will cost drivers more than usual, with diesel cars requiring to pay at least 20% higher. Electric cars will park for free and hybrid cars will receive a 20% discount on parking.

Quoting Elisa Barahona, director general of sustainability of Madrid City Council’s Environment and Mobility Department, “We thought it would be fair if the cars that pollute more pay more, and compensate those who use more efficient vehicles, particularly for those who have cars that pollute, we hope that having to pay more will make people think twice before using them.” The idea seems great and could work to quite an extent into encouraging more car buyers to settle for energy-efficient means of transport.

[Via – Inhabitat]