According to a poll conducted by the Technical Inspection Authority (TÜV), interest in electric automobiles is quickly increasing in Germany. Almost one-quarter of respondents (23%) said they have plans to buy an e-car or could “very easily foresee” doing so in the future. Another 30% indicated that they may “perhaps” purchase one in the future. “Increasing environmental consciousness, numerous new e-car models, large support payments, and, last but not least, the automobile’s rebirth in the coronavirus epidemic have all contributed to an increase in the inclination to acquire an electric car,” TÜV chief Joachim Bühler said at the IAA in Munich.
Only 14% of respondents in a comparable poll at the end of 2019 said they could see themselves buying an e-car or had already planned to do so. According to the TÜV, the percentage of individuals who reject e-cars has decreased from 55 percent to 41 percent in the last two years. However, while concerns about electric car range have decreased, issues about expensive pricing and a lack of charging infrastructure continue to annoy potential buyers, according to the poll.
“More information and pricing comparisons are needed to make the true costs apparent,” Bühler added. More openness is also required in terms of production circumstances across the car’s supply chain, particularly for the battery, he noted. While just 38% of respondents in 2019 doubted the e-environmental car’s benefit over combustion engines, that number has already risen to over 60%.
Germany met its goal of one million electric vehicles on the road by mid-2021, although half a year late. The objective for 2030 is ten million cars, for which large-scale infrastructure modifications are presently being planned, but at a slow pace, according to many experts. According to a recent research, the government helps e-car buyers with up to 20,000 euros in direct and indirect payments during the life of the vehicle.