Austria: EVs deemed only ‘conditionally suitable’ for police use

Austria’s Ministry of the Interior considers electric vehicles only conditionally suitable for operational police use. The ministry reached this conclusion after a large-scale test involving 24 electric cars across 20 participating police stations.

Volkswagen id4 polizei police oesterreich austria min

The Interior Ministry cited limitations in charging infrastructure and the higher gross vehicle weight caused by batteries and tactical equipment as reasons for the limited suitability of battery-electric cars. The project will therefore be discontinued at the end of the year.

As part of the programme, 24 battery-electric vehicles have been operating under real-world police conditions since the beginning of 2024. The fleet included models such as the VW ID.3 and ID.4, as well as a Porsche Taycan for motorway patrols. The trial covered four federal states – Tyrol, Salzburg, Lower Austria and Vienna – and involved nearly a dozen police stations. The practical test was also supported by scientific research.

“Currently, only their use as courier vehicles outside operational police duties is assessed positively. These assessments partly correspond with the experiences of other emergency service organisations,” the ministry stated.

It added that ‘ongoing market observation will continue in the coming years, as rapid technical advancements are still expected in the field of alternative drive systems.’

orf.at (in German), autoblog.com