The price gap between combustion engines and electric cars is closing. Anyone who still relies on petrol or diesel will have to dig deeper into their pockets. But what is behind this development?
New car buyers currently have to pay more – especially if they choose a model with a petrol or diesel engine. A current analysis by industry expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer shows that prices for vehicles with combustion engines have risen significantly since April.
Dudenhöffer’s investigation showed that the average transaction prices of the 20 most popular combustion models rose by around ten percent to around 33,000 euros in September. The prices for electric cars also rose – but more slowly and less sharply.
“The average transaction prices for the 20 most popular combustion engines have risen sharply since April,” says Dudenhöffer. Because electric cars have only become more expensive by four percent on average and are now around 40,500 euros, the price difference between the two types of drive is continuously shrinking.
Interestingly, discounts don’t play a big role. According to Dudenhöffer’s study, the discount level for combustion engines has only fallen by 0.7 percentage points since April, but for electric cars it has increased by 0.3 percentage points. The main reason for the price increase is primarily higher list prices for combustion engine models.
Dudenhöffer sees this development as a long-term opportunity for electric cars: In April, according to Dudenhöffer’s calculations, the price difference was still 30 percent. Most recently it was only 23 percent. The expert assumes that this gap will continue to narrow.
This market development could help make electric vehicles more competitive and increase their market share – especially since manufacturers such as Opel and VW are working on cheaper electric models and want to reduce their prices, in some cases significantly.
