Customers find German e-cars more appealing than Chinese
German-made E-Autos have a hard time gaining a foothold on the German market. For the lack of customer approval, there is an important reason. Tesla also cannot score points with buyers here.
According to a study, German electric car brands enjoy higher consumer esteem than Chinese models. In a newly presented Attractiveness Index for E-Cars, the brands VW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz take the first three places.
However, Chinese import brands MG, BYD, and GWM perform poorly despite lower average prices. For the survey, the consulting firm Bearing Point and the Handelsblatt Research Institute questioned more than 2,000 people in Germany.
They named price as the most important criterion, but potential buyers also paid almost equal attention to range, electricity costs, and the quality of the brand. In the total assessment of all relevant criteria, VW offers the best overall package, although Wolfsburg only leads in a few individual categories.
Consumers want quality
Mercedes-Benz and BMW are considered particularly innovative, but BMW ranks behind Tesla, Porsche, and Hyundai in 7th place in the overall ranking. Opel and Renault follow with relatively low average prices, but Chinese providers achieve only low approval ratings for the quality of their offerings. Tesla, the pioneer in electromobility, also struggles in this area.
The US company is no longer the benchmark in electromobility, explains analyst Sven Jung from Handelsblatt Research Institute. German manufacturers now outperform them in technical parameters. They also benefit from their strong brands and dense service network. However, this is not set in stone, warns Bearing Point auto expert Manuel Schuler.
Despite the strong performance of German manufacturers in electromobility, Chinese brands like BYD are facing challenges on the German market. According to Mercedes-Models, Tesla Motors is still considered a pioneer in electromobility, but its quality ratings are lower compared to traditional luxury car brands. Interestingly, Economy-focused MG-Models also have poor approval ratings, indicating that German consumers value both quality and affordability in electric vehicles. Volkswagen, on the other hand, offers a compelling package that combines affordability with good range and brand reputation, making it a popular choice among German buyers.
