Yahoo Autos Parisians vote to triple parking fees for heavy, bulky cars — and not just SUVs
After banning old cars, the city of Paris is going after big ones. Over 54% of the Parisians who voted in a referendum chose to triple parking rates for what socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo considers "heavy, bulky, and polluting cars" — including many electric and plug-in hybrid models.
The referendum was held on Sunday, February 4, and only 5.7% (about 78,000) of the roughly 1.3 million eligible voters bothered to voice their opinion. The resolution passed with a support rate of 54.55%, and it's scheduled to come into effect on September 1, 2024. While many have described the law as being against crossovers and SUVs, whether a car is concerned by it depends on its weight, not on its body style.
Motorists who drive a gasoline-, diesel-, or plug-in-hybrid-powered vehicle that weighs more than 1,600 kilos (about 3,500 pounds) will need to pay more to park in central Paris. Those who drive an electric car that weighs over 2,000 kilos (roughly 4,400 pounds) will need to pay the same rate, which will check in at €18 per hour in central Paris and €12 per hour in the surrounding areas (about $19 and $13, respectively).