The low-emission criteria for the parking discount will be tightened according to the proposal so that the carbon dioxide emission limit will be 0 g/km in future, instead of the previous 50 g/km. In practice, vehicles that meet this new criterion are fully electric cars. The new criteria will enter into force on 1 January 2025, and for vehicles no longer entitled to the benefit, the discount will remain in effect until the end of 2024.
Electrification of transport supports Helsinki’s emission reduction targets
The City of Helsinki grants a 50% discount on street-side parking spaces for low-emission vehicles when they pay by mobile phone. The discount does not apply to the costs of mobile payment operators. The discount is also available for resident and corporate parking. In these cases, the amount of the discount will depend on the type and area of the parking permit.
The Helsinki City Strategy 2021–2025 has highlighted the role of electrification of transport in achieving the City's carbon neutrality target. The aim of the City Strategy and the Carbon-neutral Helsinki 2030 emission reduction programme is to reduce the number of combustion engine cars in the urban area.
Tightening criteria for the low-emission discounts steer actions more strongly towards Helsinki’s goal for the electrification of transport. The update is also in line with the objectives of air quality and noise abatement in Helsinki.
The criteria are updated every other year. Incentives for low-emission vehicles are intended to be temporary, and all discounts for parking will be ended at some point in the future.
The electric car market has developed at record speed in recent years
The market share of fully electric vehicles has seen strong growth in recent years. In 2023, the share of fully electric cars in first-time vehicle registrations exceeded the share of chargeable hybrids for the first time.
Last year, fully electric vehicles accounted for about 38% of all new vehicle registrations in Helsinki. Overall, the share of fully electric cars in the Helsinki vehicle fleet increased to almost seven per cent at the end of 2023.
The City is preparing for the growing number of electric vehicles by means such as developing the charging network. In 2023, the City commissioned around 140 charging points in more than 50 different locations. In the near future, the increase in charging points for electric cars in street spaces will be significantly accelerated. Additionally, the city features charging stations maintained by commercial operators in locations such as shopping centres and parking garages.
As early as 2022, the City Board announced that the low-emission criteria for the parking discount would be raised in the future to require fully electric vehicles, in line with the market situation. The City Board will discuss the proposal for updating the criteria at its meeting on 26 August 2024.
