Electric buses too expensive

Klagenfurt’s green dreams have been shattered

The image of Klagenfurt as a model climate city will be difficult to realize.(Bild: Christian Tragner)

Klagenfurt's Deputy Mayor Alexander Kastner set off for Lithuania to accept an award in the European Green Capital 2025. Back home, however, the green dreams have come to an end. Because there simply isn't enough money. The electric buses are too expensive. The FP votes against it.

Klagenfurt has been designated by the EU as Austria's only Green Capital, which is to be climate-neutral by 2030. The Kebip project (Klagenfurt Electric Bus Investment Project), which has been in operation since 2020, is a key project on the road to climate neutrality. It involves a charging infrastructure and a parking area for the 50 electric buses at Flatschacher Straße/Koningsbergerstraße. The total costs are estimated at 167 million euros. The electric buses are to start now. "The project must be implemented by May 31, 2026. We have already run out of time," says environmental officer Wolfgang Hafner.

The green dreams are no longer affordable.(Bild: Rathaus Klagenfurt)

State demands unanimous decision

The electric buses would have to be ordered and would be delivered in 2026. The federal government has promised funding of 30 million, but repayment is open. "The federal government is no longer providing a subsidy. The application has been passed back and forth too often between the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Finance," says Hafner. Four million is to be repaid annually, which is now to be split between the state and the city. The city is to pay from new funding so that the budget is not burdened.

As with all projects of this size, the state therefore requires a unanimous decision by the city senate, but this will not happen because the FPÖ will not vote. The FPÖ is taking a tougher stance on climate regulations and the EU in the government negotiations. "Sandra Wassermann is the responsible speaker. Such projects are difficult to implement against her will," says Hafner.

"FP makes politics with common sense"

"We are voting against it. The dream has been shattered. The green idea was never financially viable for Klagenfurt. The FP does politics with common sense," says Wassermann. "Klagenfurt is broke, would no longer get a loan. Leonore Gewessler has fooled the city."

Wassermann is not afraid of a response to the FP's rejection with a worse position for the KMG buses. "We have doubled the number of passengers in Klagenfurt. Most of the buses now run every 10 minutes. The contract with the subsidies from the state has been drawn up for an indefinite period."