Nearly 40 percent of German motorists will not buy e-car 'under any circumstances' - survey

Many Germans remain deeply sceptical about electric cars. Thirty-nine percent of drivers say they "will not buy an electric car under any circumstances," according to a survey by utility association VKU. "Electromobility still has a hard time in Germany," the lobby group commented. The poll, which was conducted by research institute Civey, asked 10,000 motorists what circumstances would have to exist for them to buy an electric car next. Just about 4 percent said they were already convinced by the vehicles. "This shows that electric cars still suffer from a considerable image problem. This is certainly not least due to the fact that the automotive industry itself is too little optimistic about the transport transition," said VKU Managing Director Ingbert Liebing. About 38 percent of drivers said an improved range is a necessary prerequisite for the purchase of an e-car, closely followed by cheaper prices for electric cars (35.8 percent) and more public charging stations (31.4 percent).

In a separate survey last year, 64 percent of German driving license holders said they would consider buying an electric car. In yet another poll, 11 percent of respondents said they were actively planning on buying an e-vehicle. In January, registrations of new battery-electric cars in Germany increased by almost 120 percent year-on-year to 16,315 units, reaching a share of 9.6 percent. In 2020, the number of newly registered e-cars tripled.