Car study 2024

The car remains sacred to us Austrians

For many Austrians, owning their own car is very important and is maintained accordingly.(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

Climate protection or not - according to a study, Austria still wants to drive combustion engines. People vehemently reject the 30 km/h limit and CO2 pricing, distrust autonomous driving and demonize climate activists. 

It's great to argue at the regulars' table in the pub about our corrupt politicians (the presumption of innocence applies, of course), about various grievances in our schools or the (usually unsuitable) weather. But where the fun stops is in the car.

Often elevated to the holy grail in the countryside, one would think that the much-loved air polluters would lead to emotional battles and wars of opinion. However, as the "Motor Vehicle Study 2024" commissioned by Wiener Städtische from the Gallup Institute and involving 1000 respondents has now revealed, there is unanimity in the country's garages.

For the majority of respondents, the car is very important.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe)

Does the future belong to diesel and petrol? 
Two thirds of Austrians continue to attach high to very high importance to their cars. For 40 percent of "young people" (aged 17 to 30), the importance of the car has even increased. However, less so for the e-car. More than half (55 percent) drive petrol cars, 43 percent diesel. Hybrid (five percent) and electric cars (3 percent) are still only being used by a few - mostly as company cars. A third would still opt for a petrol car and just under a quarter for a diesel.

In the future, only 21 percent can imagine switching to a hybrid and 23 percent to an electric car. The reasons cited were the price (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 put a maximum of 20,000 euros on the sales counter for an e-car.

The high price, short range and lack of charging stations are cited as obstacles to buying an e-car.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/pwarger)

Young people are not fans of climate activists either
Respondents became emotional about the controversial climate activists. 72 percent rate them negatively, while only 15 percent have a positive attitude towards them. There were also very few supporters of the protest movement among the young target group (19%). 91% did not change their mobility behavior because of the climate activists - regardless of whether they are car owners or not. And this is despite the fact that 79% intend to change their climate-damaging mobility behavior and switch more to public transport (40%), walk (38%) or use a bicycle, e-bike or scooter (28%).

Interestingly, only 16% want to buy a more environmentally friendly car and only 9% are considering doing without a car altogether in the future.

 No to CO₂ pricing and the end of combustion engines
The recently decreed easing of restrictions for mayors to install 30 km/h zones in towns was hotly debated. The usefulness of the measure was questioned by 42% (48% of the rural population). The majority of respondents reject CO₂ pricing, with one in two against it and only 24% in favor. The ban on new registrations of combustion vehicles planned for 2035 has more than half of respondents (51%) up in arms. In rural areas, it is even rejected by 59 percent.

The conclusion: a country of car drivers - according to Statistics Austria, there were an average of 566 cars per 1000 inhabitants in 2023 - is unlikely to become a country of "climate angels" any time soon.