VCÖ Criticism of High SUV Share in New Registrations

Of the 253,789 new cars on Austrian roads, 113,304 were SUVs (45.1 percent). The proportion of SUVs is also high among electric cars. The VCÖ calls on politicians to "set the framework conditions so that manufacturers bring more economical models to the market".

High SUV Share Among Electric and Hybrid Cars

According to VCÖ figures, the share of so-called urban off-road vehicles has almost steadily increased over the last 15 years. In 2010, SUVs accounted for only 12.9 percent of new cars, by 2018 it was already over 30 percent. Two years ago, SUVs reached their peak so far with 45.2 percent and almost 107,500 new registrations. "Even though compact SUVs are also included among the SUVs, car manufacturers are increasingly bringing larger, heavier and over-motorised models to the market," VCÖ expert Katharina Jaschinsky is quoted in the press release.

The SUV share is particularly high among electric and hybrid cars, the Traffic Club criticises. "With size and weight, consumption also increases in electric cars. The mistakes made with diesel cars - keyword larger, heavier, over-motorised - should not be repeated in the interest of the population and the environment with electric cars," says Jaschinsky. Almost three quarters of the new plug-in hybrids were SUVs, among the electric cars it was 65 percent. With diesel and petrol cars, only about every third newly registered car was an SUV.

The VCÖ also criticises the still high fuel consumption of new diesel and petrol cars. This is, on average, six litres per 100 kilometres, far above the promises made by car manufacturers in the past. Diesel cars also emit particularly many fine dust particles and nitrogen oxides, they argue for an end to the diesel privilege.

(APA/Red)

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