Climate protection or not – according to a study, Austria wants to continue powering combustion engines. People vehemently reject the 30 limit and CO2 pricing, distrust autonomous driving and demonize climate activists.
It’s great to have an argument at the regular guest table in the pub about our corrupt politicians (of course the presumption of innocence applies), about various grievances at our schools or about the (usually unsuitable) weather. Where the fun stops, however, is the car.
Often considered a holy grail in rural areas, you would think the beloved air pollutants would spark emotional wars of words and opinion wars. As the “2024 Motor Vehicle Study” commissioned by the Gallup Institute’s Wiener Städtische with 1,000 respondents now shows, there is agreement in the country’s garages.
Is the future of diesel and petrol engines?
Two-thirds of Austrians continue to attach much or very much importance to their car. For 40 percent of ‘youth’ (17 to 30 years old) the status has even increased. However, less than that of the electric car. More than half (55 percent) drive on petrol, 43 percent on diesel. Few people still choose hybrids (five percent) and electric cars (3 percent), often as company cars. A third would still opt for a petrol engine and almost a quarter for a diesel engine.
Only 21 percent can imagine switching to a hybrid car in the future and 23 percent can imagine switching to an electric car. The reasons given are prices (70 percent), the short range (61 percent) and the lack of charging infrastructure (48 percent). Not unimportant for the manufacturers: 45 percent only want to pay a maximum of 20,000 euros at the sales counter for an electric car.
Young people are also not fans of climate activists
Respondents became emotional when it came to the controversial climate activists. 72 percent rate them negatively, only 15 percent rate them positively. Even among the young target group of the protest movement, there are very few followers at 19 percent. 91 percent did not change their mobility behavior because of climate activists – regardless of whether they are car owners or not. And this despite the fact that 79 percent plan to change their climate-damaging mobility behavior and want to switch more to public transport (40 percent), walk (38 percent) or use the bicycle, e-bike or scooter (28 per cent).
Exciting: only 16 percent want to buy a more environmentally friendly car, and only nine percent are considering driving without a car at all in the future.
No to CO₂ pricing and the end of combustion engines
The recently ordered exemption for mayors to create thirty zones in the city was hotly debated. 42 percent doubt the usefulness of the measure (48 percent of the rural population). The majority rejects CO₂ pricing, one in two is against it, only 24 percent is in favor. The ban on new registrations of combustion engines planned for 2035 brings more than half of those surveyed (51 percent) to the barricades. In rural areas it is even rejected by 59 percent.
The conclusion: That’s how quickly a country becomes a car driver – according to the Austrian Statistical Office, there was an average of 566 cars for every 1,000 inhabitants in 2023 – probably not a country of ‘climate angels’.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
