Majority of People in Germany Skeptical of Car Toll

Continental’s latest mobility study shows that the majority of respondents are against the introduction of a car toll

- Younger people generally have a more positive attitude toward a car toll

- Owners of electric vehicles are more willing to pay a charge

Hanover, November 15, 2024. Car tolls on German highways have been a political stumbling block in recent times. Twice since 2013, the German government has been forced to abandon plans to introduce such a toll, officially known as the “infrastructure charge.” The main reason for this was that the European Court of Justice declared the German toll plans to be incompatible with EU law. The goal of the governments at the time was to use the charge to generate additional revenue of up to €500 million a year for the expansion and modernization of the German highway network.

For the latest mobility study, opinion research institute infas was commissioned by Continental in August 2024 to survey 1,000 citizens in Germany and elsewhere about their mobility needs. One of the topics surveyed was attitudes toward a possible car toll in Germany.

Clear majority against a car toll

- Overall, most people in Germany are skeptical of a car toll. 54 percent of respondents are against it, while only 37 percent are in favor (9 percent did not want to comment).

Younger people more in favor

- The picture varies across age groups: almost half of 18 to 24-year-olds (47 percent) and even 53 percent in the 25 to 34 age group are in favor of the car toll. Meanwhile, more than half of people over the age of 45 are against it, with opposition particularly pronounced in the 55 to 64 age group (62 percent).

Those in favor of e-mobility are more open to a toll

- People who consider themselves to have a high level of environmental awareness and favor e-mobility tend to have a positive attitude toward the car toll: 47 percent of people who describe themselves as very environmentally aware would welcome it.

- Among people who consider themselves to be less environmentally aware, the share is 24 percent.

- The difference is particularly clear when it comes to the vehicle drive types currently in use. While 68 percent of hybrid car owners are in favor of a passenger car toll, the share of respondents with diesel cars is only 30 percent.

- And the majority of those considering an electric vehicle as their next car (58 percent) would also welcome a toll – compared with 27 percent who are not considering buying an all-electric car.

- The data on household income and the number of cars reveals an interesting trend. Respondents who rate their financial situation as very good mostly support the car toll, with 60 percent in favor. In households with more than one car, 44 percent support the toll, compared to 35 percent in single-car households and 30 percent in households without a car.

Here you will find more in-depth insights into selected key findings of the Continental Mobility Study 2024.