A few years ago, Taxis Bleus were the first to launch a major communication campaign on a new direction: ecology. The group's initial objective was to offer 10% of its fleet in green versions, but this target was exceeded and the company soon claimed to have the largest green fleet, with 20% of its fleet concerned. Most of the vehicles are Toyota Prius hybrids dressed in green. But the company is not alone in favouring less polluting vehicles: G7, for its part, boasts 1,800 GreenCabs. These two companies have now merged, and G7 aims to have 100% ‘green’ saloon cars by 2027! Added to this are the vehicles used by self-employed tradesmen, who are increasingly using hybrid or electric vehicles, which consume little fuel and emit little CO2 and fine particles.
Are taxis responsible for pollution?
If we add up the VTCs and taxis, the total fleet represents around 50,000 vehicles in the Paris region. That may sound like a lot, but in the end it represents just 1% of the total number of vehicles in the Ile-de-France region. So it makes no sense to blame taxis for pollution in Paris: If motorists left their cars behind and took public transport or taxis instead, pollution would certainly decrease! In fact, most taxi drivers have recent vehicles that pollute much less on average than older private cars. What's more, by taking advantage of reserved lanes, taxis can get from one point to another much more quickly... Read more
Book taxi cab : sedan or minivan
By accepting up to 8 passengers, some taxi services offer a car-sharing solution that is actually quite environmentally friendly... Read more
Gradual ban on old internal combustion vehicles in Paris
The latest spikes in air pollution in the Ile-de-France region have forced the authorities to take a number of measures: the speed limit has been lowered, residential parking has been temporarily made free, and alternating traffic has been introduced. These measures caused controversy, with some finding them too late and others unsuitable. Politicians have made a series of declarations of intent, and a greening plan is now in place for central Paris. A timetable for banning internal combustion vehicles is in place. The first to be affected are the oldest diesel vehicles. Each year, the limit will be raised, leading to a complete ban in 2030.
If implemented on schedule, this measure would undoubtedly reduce CO2 and fine-particle emissions, but it would also force many people living in the Paris region, and in principle the less fortunate, to change cars! It would also have an impact on French and foreign visitors arriving by car.
Electric buses and taxis
Other plans to reduce pollution in Paris include switching all buses and taxis in the capital to electric power. This measure is currently being implemented, but it is difficult to generalise given the current situation, both because of technical constraints (recharging times are still too long, especially for professionals, and range is fairly limited) and economic constraints (vehicles are still very expensive). But the situation is gradually changing, and the proportion of electric vehicles is growing. In fact, G7 has announced that it is switching a large part of its fleet to electric vehicles.
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