Environmental zones are primarily intended to benefit the air quality in our cities, and mean that certain vehicles are excluded from certain areas.
The possibility for Swedish municipalities to introduce environmental zones has existed since January 1, 2020, and so far they are not very widely used.
In Sweden, the municipalities today have the opportunity to introduce the environmental zones class 1, class 2 and class 3.
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Good to know if the car is allowed to drive in an environmental zone
In the long term, however, environmental zones will most likely become more common.
It can therefore be good to know how to check whether the car you own or are considering buying is allowed to drive in an environmental zone.
If you drive in an environmental zone with a car that is not welcome there, you risk a fine.
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Can my car drive in environmental zone class 1?
The most common environmental zone in Sweden is called class 1, and is found in eight Swedish cities.
Environmental zone class 1 only applies to trucks and buses, and is thus of limited relevance for drivers of ordinary passenger cars.
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Can my car drive in environmental zone class 3?
Environmental zone class 2 includes passenger cars, light trucks and light buses, and the only environmental zone of this type is currently on Hornsgatan in Stockholm.
To drive within a class 2 environmental zone with a petrol car, it must meet the emission requirements for class Euro 5 or Euro 6. A diesel car must meet the requirements for class Euro 6.
Vintage cars are welcome in environmental zone class 2 – Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT
Which environmental class the car meets can be found on the registration certificate under the “environmental facts” section.
However, veteran cars, i.e. cars older than 30 years, are exempt from the rules and may drive into the environmental zone.
Can my car drive in environmental zone class 3?
The strictest type of environmental zone is class 3, where only electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and gas vehicles are allowed to drive.
If the car runs on petrol or diesel, it is therefore not welcome. This also applies to plug-in hybrids.
Even some heavy vehicles are welcome if they are plug-in hybrids that meet the emission requirements of Euro 6. Unlike in class 2, vintage cars are not exempt from the rules.
Sweden’s first class 1 environmental zone will be introduced at New Year’s and include an area in central Stockholm.
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