Soot particle filter retrofitting: Funding does not benefit everyone

U nd even the group of authorized persons becomes the owner extended by light commercial vehicles, which are rewarded with 330 euros for the installation of a soot particle filter. Another bonus is the green environmental badge and therefore the authorization to drive into cities that even lock out cars with yellow stickers.

Many car manufacturers are not interested in equipping rare vehicles with soot particle filters

Details are currently being worked out in the Federal Environment Ministry. Basically, the Stuttgart painter and plasterer Peter Ewe should be happy about this development. After all, only the Mitsubishi L400 is emblazoned on the windshield yellow badge. In the Swabian metropolis, however, it only guarantees free travel until the end of 2011, in Berlin he would even be affected by the driving ban. But Ewe will probably end up empty-handed, because the small craft business’s company car is too rare on German roads. It is therefore not worth developing a special filter for this type. The man from Stuttgart is not alone with this problem. Many car manufacturers and suppliers do not seem to be very interested in offering filters for rare vehicles.

Soot particle filter: costs add up easily

Because the development of soot particle filter systems is expensive and is only worthwhile if there is high demand . This is how owners of an economical Audi A2 go blank. A vicious circle: while the retrofitting of VW Golf and Co rarely costs more than 1,000 euros and is often additionally subsidized by campaigns by manufacturers, owners of niche models are faced with prices of more than 1,500 euros. Commercial vehicles such as the Mercedes Sprinter can do it be more than 2,000 euros. A grant of 330 euros is just a drop in the ocean. After all, the costs for many models easily add up to well over ten percent of the residual value.

Exists without a soot particle filterthe chance of an exemption

After all: If no filter is available, there is a chance of being able to enter the environmental zones with an exemption. If there is a soot particle filter, you have no choice: Without retrofitting, the residual value of the car falls into the abyss, if there is still a buyer, and driving bans are safe. This is exactly what makes Ewe angry, especially since he has tried in the past to keep his L400 state-of-the-art in terms of exhaust technology: 'Three years ago I had a catalytic converter installed for around 800 euros, I would have done the same for the soot filter, if there was one. '

Urban vehicles are exempt from the sticker ordinance

The problem for many craftsmen: Most of the time, the vans are as long as possible because the expensive special fixtures for tools and transport are only profitable in this way. Ewe originally wanted to drive the Mitsubishi for twelve years, but the tightening of the environmental zones makes it difficult now. 'That drives small businesses into financial difficulties,' reports Ewe. The fact that urban vehicles are exempt from the sticker regulation does not exactly lift the mood of the self-employed. One solution to this dilemma would be to increase funding. That would increase the incentive to retrofit and thus motivate the providers to expand the offer, according to their circles. But in view of tight budgets, that should be unlikely.