Austrian government to offer additional incentives for EVs

The Austrian ministerial cabinet has agreed on a new e-mobility package which will include further incentivization of electrified vehicles. The package covers different speed limits for electrified vehicles, lane privileges and parking rebates.

A change to the emissions and air law will create a legal exception for the speed limits of EVs on highways. In future, anyone with an electric vehicle will be allowed to drive 130 km/h on the IG-L-Hunderter highways, which normally allow for a 100 km/h speed. This covers a total area of 440 km of roads. The statement specified that the speed advantage would be given to EV drivers over drivers in combustion motor vehicles, which possibly means that hybrid vehicles will not benefit from the arrangement.

Lane privileges will also be granted for EV drivers, and they will be allowed to use bus lanes on public roads, with the statement adding that the allowance was particularly aimed at people living in urban areas. The third part of the plan will pressure states and communities to provide incentives on parking spaces, such as free parking opportunities for EVs.

Update 25.10.2018: The announced plan to allow EVs to drive faster on state highways than their combustion counterparts by the Austrian government has now been confirmed as the first measure by the national council. The change in the “Immissionsschutzgesetzes-Luft (IG-L)” emissions law, EVs are now exempt from the 100 km/h speed limit on highways, and will be allowed to drive up to 130 km/h.

bmnt.gv.at, bmnt.gv.at (Update) (Both in German)