How do the CO₂ penalties on vehicle imports work?

Q: How do the CO₂ penalties on vehicle imports work?

Importers must meet a CO₂ target value for their new-car fleet (2025–2029: 93.6 g CO₂/km for passenger cars). Exceedances are subject to a penalty by the BFE per gram above the individual target value.

Last verified: 2026-06-20

A fleet-related CO₂ target value applies to passenger cars newly registered in Switzerland. For the years 2025–2029 it is 93.6 g CO₂/km; from 2030 it falls to 49.5 g CO₂/km. If an importer’s fleet exceeds its individual target value, the Federal Office of Energy (BFE) levies a penalty per gram of exceedance.

Large importers (at least 50 new cars imported per year) are accounted for as a fleet; small importers individually per vehicle.
The WLTP CO₂ value of the vehicles is decisive.
Since 22 April 2025, duty-free vehicles are also taken into account in the new-car fleets of large importers.

CO₂ target value passenger cars (fleet): 93.6 g CO₂/km (2025–2029); from 2030: 49.5 g/km (As of: 2025-01-01)

Sources

FAQ – CO₂ emission rules for passenger cars — BFE – Federal Office of Energy
CO₂ emission rules for new vehicles — BFE – Federal Office of Energy

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How do the CO₂ penalties on vehicle imports work?

Sources

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