Athens Taxi drivers announce new two-day strike over electric vehicle mandate
The strike was announced by the Attica Taxi Drivers Union (SATA), with participation also expected from taxi drivers in other parts of the country. The dispute centers on a law passed in 2021 that mandates zero-emissions vehicles for any new taxi registered in Attica and Thessaloniki from January 1, 2026, whether through replacement of an existing vehicle or the issuance of a new license.
Union representatives argue that implementation of the requirement should be postponed, as has been done in other European countries, until adequate charging infrastructure is in place.
“If there are no fast-charging infrastructures, it will not work,” taxi driver Manolis Georgoudis said, citing a Thessaloniki-to-Athens journey that took 10 hours due to charging stops. He added that shared taxis, which typically cover around 400 kilometers per shift, would lose significant working time to recharging.
According to SATA, only 80 to 85 electric taxis currently operate in Athens out of a fleet of approximately 14,000, with about 200 in service nationwide. The union also notes that standard charging requires seven to eight hours and that Attica has just 31 fast-charging stations.
Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis said fewer than 1% of taxi licenses are affected this year, adding that exemptions apply to drivers over the age of 62 and in cases where vehicles are declared a total loss.
