Average price of electric cars rises to €52,700 in Germany

The average price of newly registered electric cars, excluding optional extras and subsidies, rose by more than 4,000 euros to 52,700 euros in Germany this year, slowing the transition to climate-friendly mobility, according to the Center of Automotive Management (CAM). While the range and charging performance of electric models are developing relatively well, the market ramp-up of electric mobility is suffering significantly from uncompetitive purchase prices compared to combustion engines, said CAM head Stefan Bratzel, according to a report by newswire dpa. CAM explained that "larger battery capacities are being offered, but these require more raw materials at higher prices."

The number of available battery-electric vehicle (BEV) models increased from 78 to 105 year-on-year, with their average range rising by 25 to 423 kilometres, and average vehicle weight by 93 kilograms to over 1.9 tonnes. In the first eleven months of the year, all-electric drives reached a market share of 18 percent, with just under 470,000 new registrations. CAM expects 600,000 new BEV registrations in 2024. The experts pointed to a lack of cheaper models, adding that Chinese imports were unlikely to change the outlook in the short term. CAM expects an "increased supply of affordable and sufficiently competitive electric cars" from 2025, when it predicts a sales increase to 750,000 BEVs.

The government aims to have at least 15 million electric cars – including plug-in hybrids – on the road by 2030, but there are increasing doubts over whether this target can be met. In November, BEV registrations were more than 20 percent lower than a year ago due to subsidy cuts and rising energy prices, which made consumers more reluctant to spend.