Styria records Austria’s lowest share of new electric cars

Electric cars accounted for 27 percent of new registrations in Styria in September, the lowest share among Austria’s nine states, ORF reported, citing figures from Statistics Austria.

Across Austria, electric cars made up about one-third of new registrations that month. Upper Austria led with 42 percent, a record share for a state, according to the Austrian Transport Club (VCÖ). More than 40 percent of new cars in Burgenland were electric, while Vorarlberg ranked third with one-third. Every state except Styria exceeded 30 percent.

Christian Gratzer of the VCÖ said electric-car use was growing particularly in rural areas. He attributed the trend partly to households replacing second cars with electric vehicles and partly to the number of rural homes with rooftop solar panels.

Austria’s electric-car share has risen steadily, but remains well below the European leaders: electric cars accounted for 81 percent of new registrations in Denmark and about 98 percent in Norway. The VCÖ said the figures also indicate that ending new registrations of combustion-engine cars could be possible well before 2035.