Austria subsidizes e-mobility, but not cars

With around 480 million euros and lots of Anglicisms, Austria's federal government wants to win over its citizens to electric road transport. 450 million euros will be available by the end of next year to subsidize public charging stations as well as locally emission-free trucks, locally emission-free buses and their respective charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. In 2026, 30 million euros will be added specifically for public fast-charging stations in underserved rural areas.

The funding program is called eMove Austria and is divided into four pillars: eCharge, eTruck, eBus and eRide. The latter includes "all measures for switching to individual e-vehicles in the private and business context", but is not endowed, as far as can be seen from the communication from Transport Minister Peter Hanke (SPÖ). There are therefore no signs of a return to promoting electric bicycles, locally emission-free passenger cars or similar light vehicles. The only measure known to date in the context of eRides is that the state freeway operator ASFINAG is talking to oil companies about simplifying and accelerating the expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles on freeways and expressways. Since 2022, it has been planned to provide a charging station every 25 kilometers on Austria's freeways.

"With eMove Austria, we are creating targeted funding impulses that drive forward the closing of gaps in the charging infrastructure – above all, public fast charging stations are supported with up to 60 percent within the framework of eCharge. With eTruck, we are promoting the conversion of commercial vehicle fleets together with the associated charging or refueling infrastructure – with up to 60 percent of the additional costs for vehicles and 40 percent for infrastructure being covered. And with eBus, we are specifically supporting public transport: emission-free bus fleets and charging infrastructure receive up to 60 percent funding," said Karin Tausz, Managing Director of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), which is responsible for handling the project, on Tuesday.

"By 2030, 95 percent of Austrians should have a fast-charging station within ten kilometers of their home," said Hanke, setting a target. This is "ambitious, but feasible." He justified the decision not to promote electric cars as follows: "If the infrastructure is right, people will be more willing to switch to e-mobility." His credo: "Charge, charge, charge!"

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