Hybrid booming

Demand for e-cars ebbs in Styria

A lack of charging infrastructure and inconsistent payment systems are just two reasons why e-mobility is still sluggish.

(Bild: Huber Patrick)

Styrian car dealers were able to increase their sales in the first half of 2024. However, e-cars are increasingly becoming shelf warmers, while hybrid drives are becoming more and more popular. Prices for used cars have returned to normal after turbulent years. 

Those who are said to be dead live longer: while politicians have set sail in the direction of e-mobility in recent years - keyword: EU ban on combustion engines in 2035 - the electric car boom has recently flattened out considerably among end customers. Styrians are also increasingly opting for petrol and diesel cars again. This is shown by the latest registration figures for the first half of 2024, which were presented yesterday by the heads of the Chamber of Commerce's vehicle trade division (see chart below). 

Combustion engines and hybrids on the rise
According to the figures, the car trade is back in the fast lane after the turbulent coronavirus years and their aftermath. New registrations in Styria have risen by around six percent since the beginning of the year. What is particularly striking: "Customers are increasingly opting for combustion engines again and, very much on the rise, for hybrid vehicles," says Klaus Edelsbrunner, head of the division. Sales of new e-cars, on the other hand, have taken a serious hit this year, falling by around eleven percent. 

Styrian car dealers are looking forward to rising sales in the first half of 2024.

(Bild: dikushin - stock.adobe.com)

According to the experts, there are several clear reasons for this. Firstly, the e-car boom was mainly - around 80 percent - attributable to company vehicles. Since the subsidies for this expired at the beginning of last year, demand has also slumped massively. In addition, there is currently political uncertainty, with customers waiting to see how the EU elections and the upcoming National Council elections will affect e-mobility. "It is not yet clear whether the ban on combustion engines from 2035 will hold," says Edelsbrunner.

Customers are increasingly opting for classic combustion engines again.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

Charging problem inhibits acceptance of e-cars 
A major obstacle to the mass suitability of e-cars is still the lack of charging infrastructure - as many Styrians are currently experiencing again, who drive "electrically" on vacation and sometimes have to wait hours for a free charging station. "We also finally need transparent pricing and a standardized payment system, as we currently have a 'card salad'," says Peter Jagersberger from the car dealership of the same name, who will soon be taking over from Klaus Edelsbrunner after 17 years as chairman of the provincial committee for the vehicle trade. And last but not least, e-cars are currently not very attractive due to the rise in electricity costs. "If you can't charge your car at home, and preferably with PV electricity, the e-vehicle is actually out of the question," says Jagersberger. 

If you can't charge your car at home, and preferably with PV power, the e-vehicle is actually out of the question

Peter Jagersberger, angehender WKO-Spartenobmann Fahrzeughandel

Hybrid cars, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly popular, especially petrol cars that combine electric and combustion engines. They combine "the best of both worlds", says Klaus Edelsbrunner. Short distances can be covered purely electrically without any problems, while on longer journeys you have the safety of a combustion engine. 

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, stock.adobe.com)

Prices for used cars have fallen 
After the shortage and inflation caused by coronavirus, the used car market has now stabilized again. "The lean years are over, dealers have enough stock again and prices have normalized," says Gerald Auer, Managing Director of Autohaus Vogl & Co. According to a recent analysis by the Autoscout24 platform, customers are currently paying an average of 1,800 euros less for a used car than at the beginning of the year. 

The heads of the Styrian Chamber of Commerce's vehicle trade committee (from left): Gerald Auer, Peter Jagersberger, Klaus Edelsbrunner and Thomas Marichhofer

(Bild: Foto Fischer)

E-cars are also slowly gaining ground on the used car market. "The widespread concern that the batteries won't last long is unfounded. All manufacturers give an eight-year guarantee on the battery," explains Thomas Marichhofer, master of the regional guild. In addition, specialist retailers offer battery testing with their own certificates.