While electric cars are expected to gain popularity in the future, petrol cars currently hold the lead.
According to a 2024 survey by EY, 24 percent of respondents now prefer an electric car. However, petrol cars still top the list at 29 percent, though the gap appears to be narrowing.
The survey also revealed that 40 percent of respondents expect to buy a new car by mid-2026. This is an increase of 7 percentage points compared to the previous year. EY conducted the survey across 28 countries, including Germany, where 1,000 of the 19,000 total respondents participated.
This information was reported by the car magazine Boosted.
In the German market specifically, 26 percent of potential buyers prefer electric cars, slightly above the European average of 21 percent. Diesel cars are more popular in Germany than in other countries, while hybrid cars are in lower demand.
Despite the growing interest in electric vehicles, the automotive industry is facing challenges due to economic conditions. Many consumers are postponing large purchases like cars, leading to a decline in sales for several major automakers, some of them seeing significant drops.
In Germany alone, 2.12 million new cars were registered during the first nine months of the year, marking a 1 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. Registrations of electric cars, in particular, fell sharply—by a striking 29 percent.
However, EY’s Constantin Gall is still optimistic, believing the market could rebound. He points to increasing interest in electric cars, especially in Europe, despite the current drop in new registrations.
According to him, newer and better models are being introduced, which could further drive demand.
