Germany approves toll on cars registered in foreign countries

The toll would be variable and depend on several factors, including trip duration and the car's environmental impact. The new toll isn't without detractors, including some German states.

According to Reuters, cars that pollute less will be charged less, with a maximum annual fee of about $140. Cars making short trips through the country are also granted some leniency. These provisions were made after the European Commission said the rules would discriminate and therefore were against European Union rules. The original version of the toll was proposed back in 2015.

While some German states may take issue with the toll, parliament doesn't actually need their approval to pass the measure. At most, states acting in parliament's upper house could delay implementing the toll until after the federal election in September. Some states want to make further exceptions in border areas. Additionally, some in the European Commission and other EU countries still believe the toll discriminates.

The German parliament expects the toll to bring in about $540 million in revenue from foreign drivers.