European nations face aging car fleets; Romania has high diesel use and needs stricter measures to encourage vehicle renewal.
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A significant and worrying percentage of second-hand diesel cars exists across Europe, with Romania having an average car age of 16 years, worse than Bulgaria and Greece. In Romania, over two million registered vehicles are older than 20 years, and more than four million are diesel. Experts suggest that drastic reduction in the average age will require restrictive measures like city access limits for Euro 6 cars or substantial government bonuses for new car purchases. Diesel concerns extend beyond CO2 emissions to carcinogenic substances from combustion, and maintenance issues like faulty particle filters are common.
Across Europe, different strategies are being employed to encourage the replacement of old vehicles. Bulgaria has the oldest average car age in the EU (19 years) and primarily uses tax incentives for electric vehicles while older polluting cars pay low annual taxes. Greece ranks second in vehicle age with an average over 17 years, relying heavily on leasing as a renewal mechanism, though it is making progress in electrifying public transport. Italy’s aging fleet (average over 13 years) faces accessibility issues; thus, financial solutions like “ecobonuses” and the growing popularity of long-term leasing are key to encouraging upgrades. Spain plans to introduce subsidies for scrapping old vehicles and promoting low-emission alternatives, while Lithuania uses public support programs and EU funding to encourage less polluting mobility options.
In contrast, electric vehicles in Romania show strong uptake among daily commuters due to urban driving patterns, a factor experts believe is more pronounced than in Western Europe where public transport and cycling are more prevalent. However, the future of city parking is uncertain as many European cities are eliminating free parking for all cars, including EVs, to combat congestion.
