National subsidies are in place for electric vehicles. The purchase of electric vehicles is exempted from the NoVA tax which in Austria can increase a vehicle’s price by up to a maximum of 16%. Exclusively electrically-powered vehicles are also exempted from the motor-based insurance.

In January 2011, an increase of the mineral oil tax became effective: for gasoline the increase is 0.04 €/L (increased by 9%) and for diesel 0.05 €/L (increased by 14%). A bonus-malus (tax credit and tax penalty) system was introduced in July 2008 for the acqui­sition of new vehicles (NoVA - Normverbrauchsabgabe). A tax reduction of €300 is applied for vehicles with CO2 emissions lower than 120 g/km. A further tax increase of the NoVA-Malus applies as of January 1^st, 2011:

• Emissions over 160 g CO2/km: 25€ tax increase for each additional gram of CO2

• Emissions over 180 g CO2/km: the incremental penalty increased from 25 to 50 €/g CO2

• Emissions over 220 g CO2/km: the incremental penalty increased from 25 €/g CO2to 75 €/g CO2

This tax will be followed by a further tax increase for each additional gram of CO2 that will be implemented starting in January 2013, as follows:

• Emissions over 150 g CO2/km: Tax increase is 25€ /g CO2

• Emissions over 170 g CO2/km: Tax increase is   50 €/g CO2

• Emissions over 210 g CO2/km: Tax increase is  75 €/g CO2

National Introduction Plan for Electric Mobility

In 2010, the government appointed a group composed of the Ministries of Economy, Transport, and the Environment to coordinate and support electric mobility develop­ments. The ministerial group for electric mobility was assigned with the following tasks:

• Structured exchange of information and communication
• Coordination of strategies, goals, and measures implemented by each Min­istry
• Maximization of synergies between these activities
• Joint formulation of a timed plan for implementing the agreed-upon mea­sures

The outcome of this joint-ministerial effort will be the National Implementation Plan for Electric Mobility that is due to be published in 2012. It will cover the following topics: EVs, charging infrastructure, users (demands and requirements), preferential areas to start implementation, industrialization and the national economic policy, instruments for research, innovation and technology, energy systems and resources, integration of electric mobility in the transport system, environmental impacts, and laws and regulations to support innovation.