Half-year balance sheet

More new registrations, but few drive electrically

A direct charging option at home or in the garage is an important argument.

(Bild: Summit Art Creations - stock.adobe.com)

The number of newly registered electric cars fell in Upper Austria in the first half of the year. This is despite the fact that, according to a survey, one in two people can imagine buying an "electric car". The pain threshold for the majority is 30,000 euros.

One in two Austrians can imagine buying an electric car. This was the conclusion reached by the AutoScout24 internet platform in its latest trend study of 500 respondents. 17 percent are so convinced by the electronic speedsters that they answered "Yes, definitely" when asked about a possible purchase.

Young and with a high school diploma
It is striking that people between the ages of 18 and 29 (63 percent) and with at least a high school diploma (66 percent) are particularly inclined towards the electric alternative. The main argument is the climate-friendly drive, followed by the lower operating costs.

Speaking of costs: lower wear and tear and the associated lower maintenance costs were also cited as important reasons for buying. The price pain threshold for the majority is 30,000 euros. Only one in ten potential buyers would spend more than 40,000 euros on a new electric car.

But what about the actual behavior of Upper Austrians? Is the basic willingness to buy a climate-friendly car also reflected in the number of new registrations? At the moment, the answer to this question is probably no.

Petrol cars still make up the largest share
In the first half of 2024, 20,926 new cars were registered in Upper Austria, which represents a small increase of 1.9 percent compared to the first half of 2023. If you take a closer look at the figures, it is noticeable that the largest share of new registrations is attributable to petrol cars (32.4%). Compared to the previous year, however, 2.1% fewer diesel cars were sold - the share is 19.3% with 4039 cars.

Eight cars run on natural gas
Electric cars follow close behind with 18.4 percent. Even if, in percentage terms, the proportion is not as high in any other federal state, a decrease of 6.5 percent was measured in Upper Austria. In addition, eight "exotic" cars powered by natural gas were newly registered.