Traffic fines in Germany. New license plates from May 2024. When purchasing a new car, it can be challenging to anticipate additional costs. A new requirement effective from May 1 aims to address this issue. The license plates on new cars will now provide details on fuel consumption, exhaust emissions, and other associated costs.
New of license plates from May 2024
The new car license plate is based on the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure), which is a globally standardized test used to determine the fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and pollutant emissions of light passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
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The purpose of the WLTP procedure is to offer new car buyers clearer and more comparable information. This is designed to assist in making informed decisions when purchasing a vehicle and to promote the development and purchase of more environmentally friendly vehicles. Several factors influence the rating:
- Various vehicle equipment and options that affect weight and aerodynamics.
- Different engine and drive concepts.
- WLTP simulates a wider range of driving situations (city traffic, intercity driving, motorway driving) with more realistic speeds and accelerations.
- The influence of different external temperatures on fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
What will the new license plate look like?
To help convey this information effectively, different CO2 emission classes are represented by various colors on the license plates. These colors allow for a quick assessment of how much CO2 a vehicle emits in comparison to alternative models. Additionally, the license plates display the annual energy costs based on a mileage of 15,000 kilometers, along with the current vehicle tax that needs to be paid.
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Buyers can use three potential values to understand their anticipated costs over the next ten years, factoring in potential increases in CO2 prices—whether slight, moderate, or higher than currently predicted.