Förderoffensive E-Mobilität

City of Vienna to launch major funding campaign for energy-efficient mobility in 2020

Vienna (OTS) – Vienna is strengthening energy-efficient forms of mobility in the city with two new funding channels. The promotion of electric cargo bicycles for companies creates attractive incentives for Viennese commercial traffic. The promotion of innovative sharing offers in residential housing supports shared mobility offers in neighborhoods. In this way, the city is reacting to necessary measures to meet the traffic goals in the Smart City Framework Strategy. The funding campaign will start on February 1, 2020. A total of 2.8 million euros will be available by the end of 2021.

The further development of CO2-free forms of mobility, in particular electromobility, is indispensable for a fundamental change in the transport sector as well as in order to achieve Vienna’s climate protection goals. Namely, the transport sector is the largest consumer of fossil fuels in the form of petrol and diesel. In the future, vehicles should be shared as well as operated with renewable energy. The use of green electricity is therefore a prerequisite for the new subsidies.

Make sustainable logistics the standard

The urban area offers great potential for sustainable commercial traffic. Short transport routes can be handled in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner with electric cargo bikes. In addition, cargo bikes help relieve traffic from congestions on Vienna’s streets. Vice Mayor Birgit Hebein, responsible for transport and energy planning: “E-cargo bikes are the contemporary answer to logistics questions and a climate-friendly, efficient solution for the last mile. The funding corresponds to our ‘Logistics 2030 concept’, which we launched together with the federal land of Lower Austria and the Chamber of Commerce,. It is also an important measure to reduce emissions in commercial traffic. With a total of 40 percent, traffic is the largest CO2 producer in the city and therefore an important lever to counter the climate crisis. ”

Some companies in Vienna already do their transports and deliveries with electric cargo bikes. For example, the Samaritan Association Vienna: “All projects of the Samaritan Association assume responsibility and demonstrate sustainability. In Vienna, for example, 21 electric cargo bikes are used for the delivery of ‚food on wheels‘, which make an important contribution to environmental protection. Employees who appreciate sporting activities and sustainable commitment are not only more environmentally friendly than by car, but also often faster and cheaper, ”says Oliver Löhlein, Managing Director of the Samaritan Association (Samariterbund) of Vienna.

With the new funding, the City of Vienna wants to accelerate the introduction of electric cargo bikes in Vienna’s commercial traffic, because according to the Smart City framework strategy, Vienna’s commercial traffic should be largely free of climate-damaging CO2 by 2030.

Attractive funding level

Electric cargo bikes with payloads from 40 kg to 100 kg receive a maximum of 50% of the eligible costs, up to a maximum of EUR 2,000 per electric cargo bike or per electric cargo trailer. Large electric cargo bikes with a payload of 100 kg or more receive a maximum of 30% of the eligible costs, up to a maximum of EUR 4,000 per vehicle.

500 euro bonus for the sale of diesel or petrol transporters

In addition, the City of Vienna rewards the changeover with EUR 500 per resale or recycling of a used multi-lane vehicle with an internal combustion engine.

The aim is to involve companies from all over in Vienna and to cover the widest range of different businesses. Therefore there is a further bonus of 500 euros for the first three funding commitments per district

Innovative sharing offers in residential housing ensure high flexibility

Around 80% of the routes begin and end at the place of residence. New offers for private mobility must therefore start at the place of residence. Being able to choose from a wide range of options and being flexible without having your own car is what makes sharing offers so appealing. The funding campaign for innovative sharing offers in residential construction is aimed at larger residential complexes and aims to develop modern mobility offers based on electromobility with the participation of the residents. The advantages for residents are time and cost savings as well as improved mobility options away from private cars. At the same time, sharing offers contribute to a strengthened neighborhood.

The new funding starts exactly where the stumbling blocks lie in the implementation of sharing offers. Namely in the careful planning and preparation of operating models of such offers, the active involvement of the residents and good ongoing support. In order for a sharing offer to be accepted, residents must be actively involved in its design on a permanent basis. In addition to the vehicles, various acquisitions are required: charging infrastructure, booking platform and sharing hardware, rental of parking spaces, marketing measures, etc.

The new funding supports these important additional expenses with up to 70% of the eligible costs in order to successfully implement sharing offers. The support provided by the City of Vienna is a useful addition to the existing government funding for electric mobility.

Bernd Vogl, head of the energy planning department of the City of Vienna, emphasizes: “In the future we will have more electricity from renewable energy, such as solar power. Compared to a combustion engine, e-mobility uses very little energy and is therefore an essential climate protection technology. ”

The funding campaign is based, among other things, on the successful pilot test for e-car sharing in the BWSG-Housing estate in Hauffgasse in Vienna-Simmering as part of the “Smarter Together” project. It is aimed at innovative housing developers and mobility service providers as well as assemblies or groups of residents in order to broaden this experience with other projects.

More information: www.energieplanung.wien.gv.at/foerderungen

Start of the two funding campaigns: February 1, 2020

Funding agency: The Energy Planning Department of the City of Vienna manages the funding within the framework of the Green Electricity Fund (“Ökostromfonds”), www.energieplanung.wien.gv.at Rathausstraße 14-16, 1010 Vienna.

Processing office: Applications for funding are processed by UIV Urban Innovation Vienna GmbH, Energy Center, www.urbaninnovation.at Operngasse 17-21, 1040 Vienna