Town in Europe has banned all cars except special tiny electric ones you probably wouldn’t be able to buy

A picturesque town in Switzerland called Zermatt has no petrol cars, and the roads are populated by only a handful of EVs that most people will never be able to own.

We all know that the future of motoring is EVs, but in the idyllic Swiss town of Zermatt, electric cars have been their past and present too.

There are no petrol cars, and no private cars at all, meaning that if you want to get around, it’s an electric taxi or – before that – a horse.

Maybe we could all learn something from this tiny mountain town.

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Even by the standard of beautiful towns in the Swiss Alps, Zermatt is a bit different.

Known over the years as a skiing and mountaineering resort, Zermatt is also known for having exclusively electric cars on the few roads in the town, and for banning private ownership of cars almost entirely.

Live at the top of a hill? You’ll have to get a taxi or get walking.

Even if you want to leave town you’ll have to get a taxi or the bus to the next town over, where cars are allowed to be parked.

So, what brought all of this about?

Zermatt decided to go car-free years ago

Well, the location plays a bit part – same as it does with this Greek island that is home to the world’s slowest police fleet.

Dubai’s supercar-studded police fleet has nothing on the small island of Chalki.

In Zermatt, the unique situation arises from the fact that it’s difficult to get into town via the road in the first place.

It’s so difficult that they decided that not having cars at all would be a better option.

Instead, businesses, deliveries, and anything else relies on often primitive electric vehicles.

If you’ve ever seen a British milk float, you’re on the right track.

Private licenses to drive aren’t allowed, meaning that there are no combustion engines at all in the town.

The environmental and tourism reasons behind the decision

There are several transport options available – there’s a train from the nearby town of Täsch or other local spots, or you can take an electro-bus or you can jump on a horse-drawn carriage.

It’s a bit twee, but it’s also lovely in a way.

This is all part of a serious mission to keep the valley that Zermatt nestles in clean.

You see, air pollution – whilst being bad for the environment in general – could also obscure one of the town’ s main tourist draws – the amazing views of the towering Matterhorn, one of the tallest mountains in Europe.

Smog has become an issue for other places, but it’s unlikely to affect this valley any time soon.

As we advance into a more electric and less car-dependent future, perhaps more small towns will take a leaf out of Zermatt’s book.

To learn a bit more about it, you can check out this fantastic video by YouTuber Tom Scott.