Lucerne, April 2025 — In the Swiss canton of Lucerne, a political debate has sparked that perfectly illustrates what the Microcar Coalition stands for: fairness, logic, and sustainability in mobility policy.
When new vehicle tax rules came into force in January 2025, they were meant to reward efficiency and low emissions. But the outcome revealed an absurd imbalance — drivers of light electric vehicles such as the Microlino or Renault Twizy suddenly found themselves paying more road tax than owners of luxury electric SUVs four times as heavy and twenty times as powerful.
An imbalance too obvious to ignore
Under Lucerne’s new system, vehicles are taxed based on weight and performance. On paper, this sounds reasonable. In practice, however, it meant that a 500-kilogram Microlino with under 20 horsepower was charged 165 Swiss francs per year, while a 2.5-tonne Audi e-tron GT paid only 135 francs thanks to a large premium reduction.
For citizens, the message was clear: those driving the smallest, cleanest vehicles were being penalized. The public reaction was immediate — and political leaders took notice.
A political response for fairness
Green Liberal Party (GLP) representative Mario Cozzio filed a parliamentary motion calling for “proportionate taxation” of fully electric microcars. His proposal, supported across party lines — including from the Centre, FDP, SVP, and Green Party — demands an additional tax reduction for small, low-power electric vehicles.
“Only then can the original goal of promoting sustainable mobility be truly met,” Cozzio explained to the Luzerner Zeitung.
If adopted, the measure could take effect as early as 2026 and would correct one of the most striking contradictions in the Swiss transport tax system.
Microcars deserve consistent policy
This local debate reflects a broader European challenge. Across the continent, regulations and incentive systems are often tailored to large electric vehicles, leaving compact, efficient models — like L7e microcars — overlooked.
Yet these vehicles are the most aligned with Europe’s environmental goals: they use up to 80% less energy, emit far less CO₂ over their lifetime, and are built locally by European companies.
The Lucerne case shows that once these inconsistencies are brought to light, change can happen quickly. Policymakers are beginning to see that supporting microcars is not a niche issue — it’s common sense.
A step toward smarter mobility
The Microcar Coalition welcomes the initiative in Lucerne and sees it as a model for Europe. Fair taxation and regulation are essential to ensure that innovation, efficiency, and environmental responsibility are rewarded equally — regardless of vehicle size.
As cities and regions across Europe update their laws for a cleaner future, Lucerne’s experience proves one thing:
Even small cars can drive big political change.
