More than 50% of Swiss see electric cars as the future

Three-quarters of Swiss people could imagine buying an electric car.Image: trapezoid

More than half of Swiss people see electric cars as a technology of the future. But willingness to pay for renewable energy travel is cautious.

In Switzerland, people are wary of their willingness to pay for transport using renewable energy and the lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by opinion research agency GfK on behalf of car importer Amag.

A statement from Amag said that this so-called “renewable mobility” is very important to 63% of respondents. Car importers incorporate greenhouse gas emissions into the three stages of production, use and recycling. But there are limits to your willingness to pay more for it. About a third of those surveyed were no longer willing to pay as a result. In comparison, 10% were willing to pay up to 4% more. About 20% could imagine paying 10% more, and less than a quarter were willing to pay 15% more.

49% of respondents want to drive their cars using climate-friendly energy, and 39% of them think the type of drive is important, Amag continues: “More than 50% of respondents believe that electric vehicles are the technology of the future.”

Electric car sales temporarily drop

However, current actual car purchases are hindering electric vehicles: the market share of pure electric vehicles this year has dropped to 18.7% at the end of September. A year ago, the 19.8% market share almost reached the 20% mark.

According to the Swiss Automobile Association, 32,800 new pure electric vehicles were registered in Switzerland and Liechtenstein from January to September. This is nearly 10% less than a year ago. Plug-in hybrids also dropped nearly 7%. By comparison, mild hybrids saw an increase of more than 15%.

Sales of electric vehicles are expected to grow again by 2025 at the latest. By then, many manufacturers will have to significantly increase sales of electric vehicles to meet the EU's stricter carbon dioxide emissions requirements, or face hefty fines. As a result, the price of electric cars may soon drop.

Multiple braking factors

Amag boss Helmut Ruhl explained that the transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles requires safety and confidence. What we need is safe and cheap power, ample and easy-to-use charging options, and attractive and affordable vehicles.

Additionally, discussions about possible power shortages and the complexity of accessing charging options for renters and apartment owners are hindering factors.

Ruhl said eliminating import tax exemptions for electric vehicles would also slow down the development of electric vehicles: “We can do better on all these issues.”

75% of people can imagine buying an electric car

Amag writes that according to a recent survey conducted by Sotomo, 75% of Swiss people can basically imagine buying an electric car. But only 23% plan to switch to electric vehicles in the near future.

Why do customers hesitate?

The most commonly cited reasons for not switching to electric vehicles include an alleged lack of range, high purchase price, lack of charging options or opaque charging rates.

Amager intends to take countermeasures

Amag hopes to combat this with a number of offers. The importer of the Volkswagen, Cupra/Seat, Skoda and Audi brands is offering new electric car subscriptions and low charging fees. For companies with fleets, there are charging cards and charging apps, charging at work options, and simple billing solutions for charging at home.

Sales target cannot be achieved

Amag's car sales have also fallen sharply. In the first nine months, total sales fell nearly 11%. Among other reasons, this is due to the unavailability of some older models. As of the end of September, Volkswagen, Audi, Seat/Cupra and Skoda had a market share of 29.6%, compared with 31.9% a year ago.

Now the Volkswagen Group has launched a fireworks display of new models, Amag boss Helmut Ruhl said on the sidelines of a media conference at Zurich airport. This year Amag will have its highest market share in history, except last year and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, the Swiss car market is weaker than feared. As of the end of September, sales fell about 4% to just under 176,000 units.

Ruhl said this year's annual target of 260,000 new cars has been unattainable. New car sales in Switzerland and Liechtenstein are now expected to be just under 250,000 units. This is the fifth consecutive year sales have been around 250,000 units, well below the long-term average of 300,000 vehicle sales.

(Syrian Democratic Union/Africa Working Group/Oli)

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