Electric car: Why the dealers absolutely have to sell more electricity

A poster hangs behind the office chair of the Cologne car dealer Stefan Bäckmann. It shows the Mazda MX-5 RF, a sports convertible with a petrol engine. Bäckmann does not hide his opinion on e-cars: “Better than a displacement is only a displacement.” Narriating, after all, the 46-year-old is also senior master of the car guild in Cologne, the lobby club of the car dealers. Shouldn’t he as such a chance of e-mobility? But no, Bäckmann says that somewhere in the shop there is an MX-30, the only fully electric of Mazda, he has to issue it. No buyer has been in sight for over 600 days: “This is completely unprofitable for us.” But also the combustion engines weaken. 2024 was the worst year in the company’s history. Manufacturers granted fewer and fewer margins and bonuses. And the customers are completely unsettled, the lust of buying is missing. Bäckmann strokes ten percent of the jobs: “I see no improvement by 2027.”

The situation looks very different for consumers who are interested in electric cars. After years of rising prices, a discount battle announces. As early as January, over 50 percent more electricity was approved nationwide than in the previous year. Bäckmann’s problem: Mazda and Suzuki, which he specializes in, have only two attractive e-models on offer together. The reason for the price war? Philipp Sayler from Amende, head of the Carwow intermediary platform, says: “In order to achieve the new, strict CO2 requirements of the EU, the manufacturers have to massively raise their sales quotas on electric cars.” Otherwise they threatened billions of bills from Brussels, which significantly tightened the CO2 fleet limit values. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen now wants to give the manufacturers more time to overcome the high hurdles, but the reduction pressure remains. What awaits us can be observed at the EU dropout Great Britain. The “ZEV mandate” (Zero Emission Vehicle) has been in effect there since 2024: This year, 28 percent of the cars sold must be emission-free, otherwise there will be juicy fines. The quota rises to 80 percent by 2030. “The ZEV mandate used a brutal change in the market. The manufacturers introduced attractive incentives for Stromer and raised the prices of burners vigorously,” said the Carwow boss. He believes that the battle has already started. Around four million people are looking for a new or used car per month via its platform. Carwow forwards her wishes to (2800) car dealers, who then send out offers. A self-experiment shows: The brand new Hyundai Eundai inster, list price 25,290 euros, offers a Cologne dealer for 21,237 euros-17 percent discount! Another provider recently freed the VW ID.3 Pro for a mere 145 euros per month.

Thomas Peckruhn, Vice President at the Central Association of German Motor Motor Show and himself a dealer, confirms: “The customer buys again.” However, the good January figures were created because Stromer from December was only registered in January to pay the EU for 2025. He does not expect a new eco -impact under a Chancellor Merz. However, it has to reduce electricity tax and improve the charging infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the EU tries to boost electricity sales with an action plan, especially through company cars. In contrast, right politicians are primarily urging all CO2 fleet limit values. The green EU MP Michael Bloss warns of them: “Without a clear strategy for the ride of e-mobility, the car location is acute.”