Natural gas engine: Observing the requirements of the toll exemption

Berlin,

Since 1 January 2019, natural gas powered vehicles have been exempt from the truck toll. The exemption applies until 31 December 2020. The Federal Office for Goods Transport (BAG) has now specified the requirements for the toll exemption.

The engine must be powered either by NG (natural gas), CNG (compressed natural gas) or LNG (liquefied natural gas). Bivalent engines are possible, in which case the proportion of natural gas used in normal vehicle operation must clearly predominate. The relevant supporting documents proving that natural gas is used predominantly in the engine must be available upon request.

From 1 October 2019, bivalent natural gas vehicles will benefit from the toll exemption only if they can prove a minimum natural gas tank volume (one large tank or several small tanks combined) of 300 litres or 115 kg of LNG. If this minimum tank volume is proven, it is presumed that natural gas is used predominantly for normal operation of the vehicle. This presumption can be refuted in individual cases by the Federal Office for Goods Transport (BAG). Bivalent natural gas vehicles with tank volumes below the minimum (300 litres or 115 kg of LNG), will not be registered as toll-exempt by Toll Collect. Registrations completed before 1 October 2019 which do not meet the minimum volume requirement will be cancelled.

Vehicles powered by LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) are not exempt from the toll.

You can find further information at the Federal Office for Goods Transport (BAG).

www.bag.bund.de

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