Demand side ZEV rules: LEZ and ZEZ

A global overview of zero-emission zones in cities and their development progress

This data is included in a report from the International Council on Clean Transportation from 2021 that introduced zero-emission zones (ZEZs), areas where only battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists are granted unrestricted access. While low-emission zones (LEZs) have been established for a while, particularly in European cities, ZEZs are even more progressive and seek to improve local air quality, limit congestion, and help spur the decarbonization of the vehicle fleet. With this update, we begin to establish some criteria to separate robust ZEZ schemes from others that might only share some commonalities. To qualify for inclusion in the map below, cities must have made a commitment to the ZEZ or variant as part of an official policy document or announcement, set a start date for the zone, and specified the vehicle types affected; there must also be binding requirements.