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TAXI

New hydrogen taxi service allows Hamburg to hail cabs guilt-free

If you've ever regretted hopping into a cab because you can't face walking home in the rain then CleverShuttle have a ride-sharing solution which won't burn a hole in your pocket or the Ozone.

Published: 12 September 2017 11:48 CEST

New hydrogen taxi service allows Hamburg to hail cabs guilt-free

Enak Ferlemann, Bruno Ginnuth, Frank Horch, Kay Uwe Arnecke and Tom Fux. Photo:DPA

Since September 8th a total of 10 hydrogen-powered Toyotas have been prowling the inner city of Hamburg waiting for you to (digitally) hail them.

Customers can book the taxis using a smartphone app. And if there are lots of journeys being booked in the vicinity, the app's algorithm will automatically pair you with travellers going to the same area, reducing fuel consumption and therefore the fare for both parties.

According to Deutsche Bahn, which partly owns CleverShuttle, customers could save around 40% compared to normal taxi fares, and all whilst choosing a carbon neutral form of travel.

The service has been compared to Uber. But thanks to its slightly different operating system, CleverShuttle, unlike Uber Pop, hasn't been banned from many German cities.

Deutsche Bahn has been involved with the start-up since 2015 and CleverShuttle has already pioneered its service in Leipzig and Munich, as well as in the company’s home city of Berlin.

CleverShuttle has already announced plans to begin operating in Dresden, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt within the next year, while they also plan to at least double their fleet in the Hamburg city centre by the end of 2017.

The taxis themselves are brand new Toyotas which run completely on a hydrogen fuel cell, the infrastructure for which is in its infancy. But this appears to be changing.

The introduction of hydrogen powered cars has only been made possible by the increase in hydrogen refuelling stations (or HRSs). While there are currently only 18 operational HRSs in the country, providing limited scope for long-distance driving in a hydrogen-fuelled car, this number is planned to rise to 100 by the end of 2018.

The vehicles themselves have a reinforced fuel tank to compensate for the volatile nature of hydrogen and sensors ensure that, if a crash occurs, the flow of hydrogen is stopped so it doesn't escape the tank and ignite.

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the 'die' and carnival lingo

Deadlock looms as debates over Bürgergeld heat up

Following a vote in the Bundestag on Thursday, the government’s planned reforms to long-term unemployment benefits are one step closer to becoming reality. Replacing the controversial Hartz IV system, Bürgergeld (or Citizens’ Allowance) is intended to be a fair bit easier on claimants.

Not only will the monthly payment be raised from €449 to €502, but jobseekers will also be given a grace period of two years before checks are carried out on the size of their apartment or savings of up to €60,000. The system will also move away from sanctions with a so-called “trust period” of six months, during which benefits won’t be docked at all – except in very extreme circumstances.

Speaking in parliament, Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) said the spirit of the new system was “solidarity, trust and encouragement” and praised the fact that Bürgergeld would help people get back into the job market with funding for training and education. But not everyone is happy about the changes. In particular, politicians from the opposition CDU/CSU parties have responded with outrage at the move away from sanctions.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has even branded the system a step towards “unconditional Basic Income” and argued that nobody will be incentivised to return to work.

The CDU and CSU are now threatening to block the Bürgergeld legislation when it’s put to a vote in the Bundesrat on Monday. With the conservatives controlling most of the federal states – and thus most of the seats in the upper house – things could get interesting. Be sure to keep an eye out for our coverage in the coming weeks to see how the saga unfolds.

Tweet of the week

When you first start learning German, picking the right article to use can truly be a roll of the “die” – so we’re entirely on board with this slightly unconventional way to decide whether you’re in a “der”, “die”, or “das” situation. (Warning: this may not improve your German.)

How I decide which gender to use for words when I speak German: pic.twitter.com/EzgYBug2u7

— FatAndysIndustries (@DrewPortnoy) November 9, 2022

Where is this?

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

Residents of Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area will no doubt recognise this as the charming town of Kronberg, which is nestled at the foot of the Taunus mountains.

This atmospheric scene was snapped on Friday morning, when a drop in temperatures saw Kronberg and surrounding forests shrouded in autumnal fog.

After a decidedly warm start to November, the mercury is expected to drop into single digits over the weekend.

Did you know?

November 11th marked the start of carnival season in Germany. But did you know that there’s a whole set of lingo to go along with the tradition? And it all depends on where you are. First of all, the celebration isn’t called the same thing everywhere. In the Rhineland, it’s usually called Karneval, while people in Bavaria or Saxony tend to call it Fasching. Those in Hesse and Saarland usually call it Fastnacht.

And depending on where you are, there are different things to shout. The ‘fools call’ you’ll hear in Cologne is “Alaaf!” If you move away from Cologne, you’ll hear “Helau!” This is the traditional cry in the carnival strongholds of Düsseldorf and Mainz, as well as in some other German cities.

In the Swabian-Alemannic language region in the southwest of the country, people yell “Narri-Narro”, which means “I’m a fool, you’re a fool”. In Saarland at the French border, they shout “Alleh hopp!”, which is said to originate from the French language.

Lastly, if someone offers you a Fastnachtskrapfe, say yes because it’s a jelly-filled carnival donut. And if you’re offered a Bützchen? It’s your call, but know that it’s a little kiss given to strangers!

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