The poor economic situation is affecting the mood of many people – including when buying a car. A survey now indicates a slight recovery. An expert also expects discounts.
Global demand for new cars could increase slightly again in the future – including those with electric drives. This emerges from a current survey by the consulting and auditing company EY. 40 percent of those surveyed said they wanted to buy a new car by mid-2026. That was seven percentage points more than in the survey a year earlier. 19,000 people in 28 countries were surveyed for the study – 1,000 of them in Germany. The survey was conducted in the summer.
A quarter would choose an electric vehicle
24 percent of those who want to buy a new car said they would probably buy an electric vehicle. This was a slight increase compared to the previous year’s survey. At that time, a fifth of people preferred electric cars. Cars with petrol engines continue to be the most popular at 29 percent. A total of 33 percent of potential buyers would choose hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and eight percent would choose diesel cars.
In Germany, 28 percent of those surveyed said they wanted to buy a new car within the next two years. That was five percentage points more than in the previous year. When it comes to drive type, the results are similar to the global distribution: essentially only electric cars are slightly more popular at 26 percent, even compared to the European average of 21 percent. There are also slightly more potential buyers for diesel cars. Fewer people would choose hybrid vehicles.
Because of the poor economic situation, many people are currently holding on to their money. Expensive car purchases are often postponed. Sales of the world’s largest car manufacturers have recently fallen. In Germany, this was also reflected in the registration numbers: According to the industry association VDA, a total of 2.12 million cars were newly registered in the first nine months of the year – one percent less than in the same period last year. The number of registrations for pure electric vehicles fell by 29 percent during the period.
Expert: The car market could turn around
According to EY industry observer Constantin Gall, the survey shows that the market could soon turn positive again. “There is fundamental interest in electric cars in Europe too – even if new registrations are currently declining,” he said. This is also plausible, as better and better electric cars are coming onto the market, some with a long range and short charging times.
According to Gall, car buyers in Europe could also see a price slide across the board in the coming year. Many manufacturers would have to significantly increase their sales of electric cars in order to avoid fines. “This could lead to a positive price development and higher discounts from the customer’s perspective over the next year,” said Gall.
High demands on range in Germany
This would be particularly well received by potential e-car buyers in Germany: compared to the global average, they are only willing to pay higher prices for an e-car than for a comparable combustion engine model. When it comes to range, however, the demands are quite high: On average, prospective electric car drivers from Germany expect a range of around 470 kilometers. Worldwide, respondents consider a range of 400 kilometers to be sufficient.
Source: Stern
