Record fuel prices drive up demand for electric cars

Record fuel prices in Klagenfurt are increasing interest in electric vehicles, ORF reported. Diesel reached 2.30 euros per litre on Monday afternoon, while Super petrol rose to 1.99 euros.

No relief is currently in sight at filling stations. Drivers are checking carefully when and where they refuel, with discount stations offering petrol and diesel for at least a few cents less than branded stations.

Fuel prices have been rising for weeks, making driving increasingly expensive for motorists in Carinthia. More people in urban centres are switching to public transport, while residents in rural areas often depend on their cars to get to work.

The trade union is calling on the federal government and the provinces to provide commuters with swift relief. It wants the fuel price brake to be extended and strengthened and the carbon dioxide charge to be suspended.

High petrol and diesel prices are also affecting the car market. Hubert Aichlseder, a car dealer, said more people were considering vehicles that could reduce their costs, including partly or fully electric models. He said the savings were particularly significant when such vehicles were combined with a photovoltaic system on the owner’s roof.

Oskar Dörfler, spokesman for Carinthia’s vehicle dealers, also confirmed rising demand for electric and hybrid cars. However, he said Carinthians were generally being cautious about buying vehicles.