11 Jul 17
News

Austria urged to end sale of fossil-fuel cars by 2030

Following the decision by France to ban the sale of fossil-fuel cars by 2040, the Austrian government has been urged to do the same – and sooner. Mobility club VCÖ (Verkehrsclub Österreich) has said that Austria should consider 2030 as the end date for the sale of combustion engines. 

Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Austria rose from 1.2% of total vehicle registrations to 1.4% last year, the highest share in the EU. In Vienna's inner-city district, EV sales even soared to 7% for the first five months of this year. 

The increased uptake is due to a government subsidy of €4,000 per purchased EV, launched earlier this year. Additionally, 11 of Austria’s energy companies have joined forces to create a single network for EV charging.

VCÖ spokesperson Ulla Rasmussen (pictured) pointed out that more than 90% of car journeys in Austria are less than 50 km – ideal for electric cars. “The era of diesel and petrol cars is coming to an end,”  she said. “Now it is about accelerating the energy demand in the transport sector, also in Austria”.

“An increasing number of companies are using EVs in their fleet. EV-sharing is also increasing in the regions, via municipalities or associations. EVs are already very suitable for car sharing, especially in regions”.

Image: VCÖ

Authored by: Frank Jacobs