What are the advantages of ECO-labelled cars in 2022?

In recent days or even months, you may have considered switching cars and opting for a car with an ECO label from the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT). You should know that vehicles bearing the DGT’s ECO environmental badge are those powered by hybrid, plug-in hybrid and gas powertrains such as LPG or CNG. You are surely aware that we have been living with DGT labels for some years now, but 2022 has brought more advantages.

These badges classify models from the most polluting to the cleanest. In this way, they determine the zones they may or may not enter. What advantages do ECO-labelled cars have in 2022? In case you don’t remember, the ECO environmental sticker is carried by hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars with an electric range of less than 40 kilometres, and by bi-fuel vehicles running on LPG, CNG, CNG (compressed natural gas) and LNG.

What advantages do ECO-labelled cars have in 2022?

In some cities, such as Madrid and Barcelona, labels are used to determine which vehicles may circulate in one or more specific areas, depending on the level of pollution. These cities have created areas called Low Emission Zones. From next year, 2023, municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants must create a Low Emission Zone that imposes traffic restrictions on certain vehicles.

This is part of the Climate Change Law approved last year. Under this regulation, environmental labels will be essential for classifying which vehicles may or may not enter the delimited zones.

In 2022, ECO-labelled cars may circulate freely in Madrid and Barcelona during high-pollution episodes. In addition, they may park in the Regulated Parking Zones, also known as SER, for a maximum of two hours. It is important to point out that owners of ECO-labelled vehicles will receive a 50% discount on parking fees. If you have a ZERO car, you will not have to pay any fee and will have no time limit.

The rest of the cities have no circulation restrictions for vehicles with other badges; these only apply during episodes of high pollution. From next year, 2023, all cities with 50,000 inhabitants or more, and those with more than 20,000 with high pollution levels, must create a low emission zone. More than 148 municipalities will have to have a low emission zone. The town councils themselves will be responsible for delimiting the zones and deciding which types of vehicles may or may not circulate.