Why Germans avoid electric cars: Fears and skepticism remain high!

Why Germans avoid electric cars: Fears and skepticism remain high!

The transition to electromobility in Germany is slow. According to an analysis by HUK Coburg, only three percent of private car owners in Germany own a purely electric car. These figures illustrate the hesitant development of the market, as the share of electric cars in the private vehicle fleet is only growing by 0.1 percent per quarter. HUK Coburg, as the market leader in car insurance with over 14 million vehicles, shows in its analysis that in regions such as Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg the proportion of electric cars is more than twice as high as in Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony.

However, social acceptance of electric vehicles remains questionable. A Yougov survey of 4,222 participants showed that 60 percent of Germans have greater concerns about used electric cars than about conventional combustion engines. Only 42 percent of those surveyed consider electric cars to be good or very good vehicles, while 51 percent rate their quality as less or not good at all. Only 15 percent of participants would generally only consider an electric car.

Electric car sales and forecasts

In the first quarter of 2025, according to HUK Coburg, 61 percent of buyers chose a used electric car when switching from combustion engines to electric cars, while 39 percent chose a new vehicle. However, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts an increase in electric car sales worldwide. In 2025, a global share of purely electric cars and plug-in hybrids is expected to be around a quarter. In 2024, 17 million electric cars will have been sold, which corresponds to more than 20 percent of all new cars. What is particularly significant is that electric car sales rose by 35 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.

A look at global sales figures shows that demand for electric vehicles is booming. In 2022, over 10 million electric cars were sold worldwide for the first time, representing around 14 percent of the overall market. For comparison: in 2021 this share was only 9 percent and in 2020 it was 4 percent. The IEA expects a forecast of 14 million electric cars sold by 2023, which would equate to a market share of 18 percent. China plays a key role as the largest market for electric cars, with 4.4 million electric cars sold in 2022 alone.

Global developments and challenges

In Europe, the second largest market for electric cars, an increase of 15 percent was recorded in 2022 compared to the previous year. The US follows suit with an impressive 55 percent increase in sales over the same period. Markets such as India, Indonesia and Thailand are also showing high growth rates, particularly in the area of ​​electric two- and three-wheeled vehicles. In India, over 50 percent of three-wheeled vehicles already had an electric drive in 2022.

Despite the numerous positive developments, many climate protection programs in various countries face significant obstacles. There is currently no set date in the EU for the introduction of the Euro 7 emissions standard. The planned ban on combustion engines, which provides exceptions for e-fuels, will not come into force until 2035. In the USA, however, the “Inflation Reduction Act” introduced important steps to promote electric cars and charging infrastructure in the summer of 2022. Also a significant trend is the predicted decline in crude oil demand by at least 5 million barrels per day by 2030, described by Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, as a historic shift in the automotive industry.

The change towards electromobility remains a challenge that encompasses both technological and social aspects. Progress will continue to be influenced by developments in consumer acceptance and the political environment.

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