The measure should advance in the coming years and is due to the increasing occupation of places by electric cars. EMEL will also increase general parking rates.
EMEL will move forward, in the coming years, with an in-depth review of the special parking regime granted to electric vehicles in Lisbon, putting end to exemption created in 2013 to promote decarbonization.
The measure, which until now allowed parking for free and without time limits in all areas charged through the annual payment of 12 euroswill be progressively discontinued, including time and/or tariff limitations.
The information is contained in EMEL’s Activity and Budget Plan for the period 2026-2029, which will be discussed at a Chamber meeting. The document frames the decision within a broader strategy to review parking policy in the capital, motivated by growing shortage of placesespecially in central areas, and due to the financial impact that the current regime has had on the municipal company.
According to EMEL, the incentive for electric vehicles proved to be such a success that it became a public space management problem. Last November there were already 40,479 green badges, responsible for more than 46% of occupancy of the charged places. In 2024 alone, the company estimated to lose around 3.7 million euros annually in uncollected revenue due to this exemption.
EMEL’s plan has as its central objective to guarantee greater turnover, seeking to ensure, on average, around 15% of free spaces per street or set of streets. The company also warns of the impact of the so-called “parasitic traffic”, referring to circulation associated with the search for parking.
Another relevant fact is the origin of vehicles with a green badge: 62% belong to cars from outside Lisbonwith almost half coming from other municipalities in the Metropolitan Area. For EMEL, this phenomenon encourages the use of private cars and goes against the objectives of sustainable mobility.
The reconfiguration of the green badge should introduce mechanisms that discourage prolonged parking, without completely eliminating the incentive for electric mobility. The changes will be accompanied by expansion of the electrical charging networkboth on public roads and in EMEL parks.
At the same time, a review of parking rateswhich have not been significantly updated since 2011. Prices are expected to rise in areas of greatest pressure, currently between 0.80 and 2 euros per hour, and approach those charged in closed parks.
