Record for electric cars: 25 per cent of new passenger car registrations in March 2026 were fully electric Mobility Minister Hanke: "E-mobility has reached the heart of society!" Through information and raising awareness, final reservations are to be eliminated
March 2026 was a good month for e-mobility: One in four newly registered passenger cars was solely battery-powered, a record so far. In absolute numbers, this amounts to 8,206 electric cars (March 2025: 6,122). These encouraging developments indicate that e-mobility is steadily gaining momentum.
„The increases in new registrations of electric passenger cars are welcome and a clear indication that e-mobility has reached the heart of society. In light of the challenges on the energy markets due to the crisis in the Middle East, it is all the more important for us to become more independent from oil states and to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies and e-mobility,” said Mobility Minister Peter Hanke.
Interest and demand for electric cars is rising
March 2026 thus marks the best month so far in Austria's electric car ramp-up. However, potential effects of the situation in the Middle East on the new registrations of electric cars will only be reflected in statistics in the coming months. Since fuel prices have risen massively, more and more people in Austria are considering purchasing an electric car.
„Interest in electric vehicles has increased dramatically due to the high fuel prices. Sales platforms report 40 percent higher demand. This momentum must now be leveraged to bring the issue of e-mobility more into focus. For it is not only about protecting the climate, but e-mobility is also crucial to make our location more resilient to international price shocks," remarks Hanke.
Hanke: Politics must explain and reduce reservations
Many people still hold onto the myth of short ranges for electric cars. These concerns are unfounded given the significantly improved battery technology and well-developed charging infrastructure. Alone the number of ultra-charging points (150 kW or more) has doubled in the past year to 4,000. Overall, there are now almost 40,000 public charging points. Modern electric cars can also achieve ranges of 600 km and beyond. Comprehensive information can be found on the new federal platform for e-mobility emove-austria.gv.at.
„As Mobility Minister, it is especially important to me to inform, create awareness, and eliminate reservations towards e-mobility in the framework of my program 'eMOVE Austria'. We will continue this path consistently,” concludes Hanke.