New mobility market in Austria

Since the Green party joined the government coalition in 2019, Austria has shown significant political support for new mobility services. The 2021 mobility master plan, aligned with Paris climate targets, strives for a climate-neutral transport sector by 2040, prompting a recent eco-social tax reform. The reform aims to ease the burden on Austrians while introducing true-cost pricing in the tax system.

The electric vehicle (EV) market, buoyed by subsidies, witnessed substantial growth in recent years. The Russian invasion in Ukraine and soaring fossil fuel prices increased urgency for alternative transportation, resulting in more electric cars being registered than diesel cars in 2023, with a 19.9% share. Since 2020, private individuals purchasing fully electric cars receive a €5,000 subsidy and €2,500 for hybrid models.

The International Vienna Motor Symposium is an annual 3-day-event bringing together 1,000+ decision makers from the automotive engineering industry.

Austria, known for excellent public transportation, invests significantly in climate-friendly alternatives. The 1-2-3 ticket (costing €1,095 annually) program, introduced in 2021, contributed to a spike in public transportation demand. Additionally, sharing services are gaining popularity, especially in urban areas.

Key opportunities for Canadian cleantech companies in Austria

• Hydrogen fuel cells

  By 2030, Austria plans 2000 H2 trucks, a nationwide hydrogen infrastructure, and aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 24,000 tons.^{Footnote 1} 1GW of electrolysis capacity will be installed, supported by €40 million annually from the Austrian government and €125 million from the EU resilience fund.^{Footnote 2}

• Electric charging infrastructure

  By December 2023, Austria had around 22,000 public charging points, primarily in the provinces of Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Tyrol with room for improvement.^{Footnote 3}

• Car sharing schemes

  Vienna remains the largest hub for sharing schemes using EVs. In municipalities and regions, smaller car sharing initiatives are beginning to rely on electric mobility.

• Bike sharing

  Public bike-sharing systems have been an integral part of Austrian cities for many years and are heavily subsidized.

• Scooter sharing

  There are a few providers of e-scooters on the Austrian market with prices varying between € 0.19 and € 0.25 per minute in addition to the activation fee. Electric scooters must be equipped with a functional braking device and must not exceed a top speed of 25 km/h.

Notable challenges for Canadian renewable energy companies in Austria

• New mobility services have yet to gain popularity due to the unpredictability of nation and state-wide regulations that are imposed on new services.
• Costs for "green" hydrogen production are currently significantly higher than those for "grey" hydrogen, with the expected break-even point not anticipated until 2030.
• When it comes to train services, the Austrian Railroads Company ÖBB holds an almost-monopoly over Austrian railroads resulting in very few private players.
• Successful deployment of new solutions is often dependent on government funding.

Austrian business landscape

• The start-up scene in Vienna is active and is significantly backed by the local administration's effort to increase Vienna's standard of living through a better-connected mobility system.
• Most larger cities (all with population above 50,000) have a tram system which also serves the surrounding area.
• Austria's automotive industry (€ 17.9 billion production volume, 85% exports in 2023) is very closely intertwined with the German OEMs and hence a natural extension for Canadian suppliers serving the German market already.^{Footnote 4}
• The country's automotive industry specializes in niche contract manufacturing for global automakers owing to the presence of Magna Steyr, a subsidiary of Canada's Magna International.

Summary

New mobility concepts are eagerly awaited in Austria and gained momentum since the Green party entered the government and energy prices surged due to the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Austria has the third highest R&D ratio in the EU and is thus at the forefront of decarbonization with massive investments into hydrogen solutions and e-mobility.

For more information, please contact:

susanne.knobloch@international.gc.ca
Tel.: +43 1 531 38 3354
Susanne Knobloch | LinkedIn