The problem surrounding VW had already become clear. “What was always feared is now happening: that the transformation from combustion to electric is not happening as quickly as we had thought,” says the chairman of the Austrian car importers, Günther Kerle.
VW was the first brand to focus strongly on electromobility. Now the market in Europe has not developed as strongly as was assumed. The crisis at VW also has consequences for Austria: the cluster in Graz or Linz is very dependent on Germany. Guys said: “If the car industry in Germany coughs, then we already have a very bad cold.”
The transport sector also plays a major role in the national energy and climate plan. This aims to determine how Austria will reduce its emissions by 2030. Climate-damaging subsidies, such as travel allowances or diesel privileges, are increasingly attracting attention. According to Kerle, the easiest thing would be to say that costs for drivers will increase. “It’s always such a quick solution.”
“If diesel becomes more expensive, we will all feel it”
If you consider that more is demanded of the population every year, more flexibility in the workplace and at the same time the travel allowance is being taken away, then this is not possible. “It has to fit together somehow.” According to Kerle, the word diesel privilege is also “quibbling over words”. “The fact that diesel is taxed slightly less than petrol does not mean it is a privilege. There are reasons for that. When diesel becomes more expensive, we all feel it. Whether you buy a salad stick at Spar or Billa or anywhere else. This needs to be brought there. It’s not just everyone who pays that, it’s all of us.”
For Guys, it is out of the question that less CO2 needs to be emitted in traffic. “The question is always: what resources do I use to achieve this? Logically, the expansion of public transport is very important. But even in a metropolitan area like Vienna, for example, where public transport is really well developed, there are simply routes for which you need individual transport.” Mobility is extremely important for the population and politicians have the task of realizing this. affordable. “We will not benefit if only the upper class can afford to drive and everyone else can no longer afford it. That is not possible, that cannot be the goal.”
For more information on this theme, see the video above!
We explain what Austria is currently dealing with: the latest news conversations with politicians and experts.
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.
