We are at the beginning of a mobility transition: electric is overtaking diesel engines!”

We are at the beginning of a mobility transition: electric is overtaking diesel engines!”

Motor vehicle industry: Congratulations on your new position as chairman of the BEÖ. What attracted you to this position?

Andreas Reinhardt: Thank you! I have been closely linked to the BEÖ since the association was founded and am therefore very interested in ensuring that the goals we have set for ourselves are implemented - which has been very successful so far. The chairmanship changes every three years and so it was natural that I accepted this challenge when asked by my colleagues.

What are your most pressing concerns or goals that you are pursuing on behalf of the BEÖ?

The Federal Association for Electromobility Austria (BEÖ) represents the interests of eleven energy companies in Austria. We see ourselves as the first point of contact for questions regarding e-mobility and together we ensure a comprehensive, roaming-capable public charging network powered by 100 percent renewable energy. We are constantly committed to simplifying the legal framework and are actively involved in the further development of incentive and support systems.

In order to do justice to the current market ramp-up in electromobility, we as the energy industry are continuing to push forward with the construction of public and private charging infrastructure. One of our most urgent goals and priorities in the BEÖ is to break down existing barriers and, for example, to expand private charging infrastructure across the board in residential buildings in the coming years.

In relation to the number of inhabitants, Austria has around 8,600 charging points, which is not that few in European comparison, but there are still far too few to make e-mobility suitable for everyday use and practical for large sections of the population. What are the specific goals here?

Domestic energy companies have invested heavily in expanding the public charging infrastructure in recent years. With a total of 8,600 public charging points, 6,000 of which are in the BEÖ network, Austria is in the top third of Europe when it comes to expanding publicly accessible charging stations. This comprehensive infrastructure is constantly being expanded and strengthened. The city of Vienna, for example, recently built its 1,000th e-charging station, making it one of the leading cities in Europe. The next important step is the rapid expansion of private charging options in underground car parks in apartment buildings. This is primarily about legal framework conditions. 

80 to 90 percent of electric vehicles are charged at home or at the company parking lot, where they are parked for a long time. We see a need for legislative action here. Not least due to our efforts in the BEÖ, this hurdle should be a thing of the past from January 2022 and the subsequent installation, for example of an intelligent wallbox in apartment buildings, will be significantly simplified. We expect a significant increase in private charging capacities here.

A large-scale field test in a residential complex in Linz recently impressively demonstrated how suitable electromobility is for everyday use today. For six months, 51 households swapped their combustion car for a zero-emission electric car - and were thrilled. In this field test, which was supported by the Vienna University of Technology and carried out by LINZ AG with partners, we were able to prove that full supply with a 50 percent share of electric vehicles can be easily achieved by using intelligent charging management.

Do you see a risk that supply gaps could even become larger because the expansion of the charging infrastructure cannot keep pace with market growth in car sales?

No, I don't see the risk of supply gaps. As an energy supplier, we made advance payments early on and set up an Austria-wide network of charging points. Our motto is: If more electric cars come onto the market, we will continue to expand the charging network accordingly. This means that the latest technology is always used. For example, fast cables on routes where they are particularly needed. As I said, it's not just about public charging, but also about charging options at home and at company locations.

If sales continue to grow rapidly and every second Austrian will own an electric car in a few years, will there be enough electricity and, above all, enough green electricity? And what about the necessary network capacity?

Significantly more generation capacities such as wind and PV systems are currently being added in Austria than the electricity required by the newly commissioned electric cars. And it will stay that way for a while. If we replace all around 5 million cars with electric cars, electricity consumption will increase by 18 percent over the next 40 years, that seems a manageable task.

What is true, however, is that the power required – if all electric drivers plug in their cars at the same time in the evening – will pose challenges for the power grid. Investments and intelligent solutions will be required here to enable many electric cars to be charged at the same time. However, we are talking about a period of 30 to 40 years during which network expansion will have to take place.

What are your specific market expectations regarding e-mobility in Austria?

By the end of June 2021, 17,337 fully electric cars were newly registered in Austria. This is an increase of 195 percent compared to the comparable period of June 2020. This means that around 12 percent of all new registrations are electric cars and we are therefore well above the forecasts, which are based on achieving the climate goals. We are at the beginning of a mobility transition: electric is overtaking diesel engines! This trend is driven by various financial incentives, from purchasing an electric car to promoting private charging stations. And in addition, the range of models suitable for everyday use is also increasing and the population's trust in alternative forms of drive is growing.

We are largely guided by the forecasts of an AIT study for achieving climate goals in transport. This forecast is currently being significantly exceeded.

What kind of car do you drive privately and why?

I am in the fortunate position that I can travel to work by public transport or by bicycle - so I have been traveling by electric tram for 25 years. In the last two years I have mostly used LINZ AG's e-car sharing service for work. Personally, I currently drive a family car for my family of five, which is currently being converted from petrol to electric.