Price instead of brand: According to a survey, price is the deciding factor for a majority when buying a car. The abolition of the purchase premium is therefore likely to lead to a slump in sales of electric cars.
According to a survey, price is the deciding factor when buying a vehicle for the majority of drivers in Germany. In a survey by management consultancy Deloitte, more than half of those surveyed said their next car should cost less than 30,000 euros. For most people, the price is more important than the brand: “55 percent don’t care about the origin of the manufacturer, as long as the vehicle meets their needs.”
According to the survey, interest in buying electric cars remains unchanged at a low level: 13 percent of Germans surveyed said they would prefer a battery-powered car (BEV) the next time they buy a car. In the previous year it was 14 percent. The purchase intentions for a petrol or diesel engine rose from 45 to 49 percent.
Price as the most important criterion
55 percent of those surveyed cited price as the most important criterion when choosing their next car. 55 percent also named a price limit of under 30,000 euros, and a quarter of those surveyed named a range between 30,000 and 50,000 euros.
Deloitte industry expert Harald Proff said the purchase premium had boosted demand for electric cars. “The early elimination will lead to a slump in sales figures, as electric vehicles are still significantly more expensive than comparable combustion engines.” Buyers are price sensitive in the lower and medium vehicle classes.
In order for electric vehicles to ramp up, affordable vehicles for the mass market must be produced quickly. “So far, manufacturers have barely made any money with electric cars,” said Proff. Instead of the 15 million electric cars desired by the federal government, Deloitte estimates that only a good 10 million will be on German roads in 2030.
For its Global Automotive Consumer Study in the fall, Deloitte surveyed 27,000 citizens in 26 countries about their preferences in the area of automobiles and electromobility, 1,500 of them in Germany.
Source: Stern
