Paris will impose parking fees for SUVs at triple the rate for other cars, starting in September, after approval in a city-wide referendum. The rates for SUVs will be €18 per hour in central areas and €12 in less-central districts.
The proposal was put forward with the idea of discouraging large vehicles that use more fuel than average-size cars and take up more street and parking space. However, the rule has significant exceptions: It won’t be charged to local residents, taxi drivers, tradespeople, health workers and people with disabilities. It will also apply to electric SUVs, but only if they weigh more than two tonnes.
Opponents of the plan argued that it is unfairly structured; it covers compact SUVs that are more comparable to normal size cars, and that it does not take into account the idea that a modern SUV may have less impact on the environment than a pre-2011 small diesel car.
