OMV, the partly state-owned Austrian energy company, announced plans to discontinue its public hydrogen refuelling operations in Austria, citing falling demand and a lack of profitability. The company will instead redirect its efforts towards expanding its commitment to electromobility, including the establishment of a fast-charging network across Austria.
OMV has already closed its hydrogen station in Vienna and intends to shut down additional stations in Graz, Innsbruck, Asten, and Wiener Neudorf by the end of August 2025. Only one hydrogen station will remain open, but it will not be accessible to the public. The company’s decision marks a significant shift in strategy, moving away from hydrogen fuel infrastructure in favor of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions.
The company, which was an early investor in hydrogen refuelling technology, opened its first station in Vienna-Floridsdorf in 2012. However, despite these early investments, OMV said in a statement that “demand for hydrogen as a fuel fell short of expectations.”
Demand for fuel cell vehicles in Austria has remained low, with only 62 hydrogen-powered vehicles registered in the country as of February 2024, according to Statistics Austria. Most of these vehicles are used commercially, and the majority are from Hyundai, followed by Toyota and Volkswagen.
OMV’s withdrawal from the hydrogen refuelling market leaves the country without a public hydrogen infrastructure, as OMV was the sole provider of these stations in Austria. The company will now focus on building a nationwide fast-charging network under the OMV eMotion brand, marking a pivot toward battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Despite this shift, OMV emphasized that hydrogen will remain a key component of its industrial operations. The company is set to commission its first 10MW electrolysis plant for green hydrogen in Vienna Schwechat later this year. This facility will support the production of sustainable fuels, including jet fuel and diesel, for use in its refineries.