Will driving soon be a luxury?

“The diesel privilege is just a word trick”

(Bild: krone.tv)

The problem surrounding VW had already become apparent. "What we have always feared is now happening: the transformation from combustion engines to electric vehicles is not happening as quickly as we had imagined," says Günther Kerle, Chairman of the Austrian Automobile Importers Association. 

VW was the first brand to focus strongly on electromobility. Now the market in Europe has not developed as strongly as expected. The crisis at VW also has consequences for Austria: the cluster in Graz or Linz is very dependent on Germany. Kerle comments: "If the automotive industry in Germany coughs, then we already have a very severe cold."

(Bild: krone.tv)

The transport sector also plays a major role in the national energy and climate plan. This is intended to determine how Austria will reduce its emissions by 2030. Climate-damaging subsidies, such as the commuter allowance or the diesel privilege, are becoming the focus of attention. According to Kerle, however, the easiest thing to do would be to say that the costs for car drivers will be increased. "That's always such a quick fix." 

"If diesel becomes more expensive, we'll all feel it"
If you consider that you are asking more of the population every year, more flexibility in the workplace and at the same time taking away the commuter allowance, that doesn't work. "It has to fit together somehow." According to Kerle, the word "diesel privilege" is also a "verbiage". "Just because there is a little less tax on diesel than on petrol doesn't make it a privilege. There are reasons for that. If diesel is more expensive, we all feel it. Whether you buy a head of lettuce at Spar or Billa or wherever. It has to be brought there. It's not just anyone who pays, it's all of us."

For Kerle, however, there is no question that less CO2 needs to be emitted from transport. "The question is always, what means do I use to achieve this? Obviously, the expansion of public transport is very, very important. But even in a metropolitan area like Vienna, for example, where public transport is really, really well developed, there are simply routes for which you need private transport." Mobility is incredibly important for the population and politicians have the task of making it affordable. "We won't benefit if only the upper classes can afford to drive and everyone else can no longer afford it. That can't be the goal."

You can see more information on this topic in the video above!