These numbers can make anyone interested in a used car dizzy: Prices in the used car market have increased by 28 percent since the start of the corona pandemic. This is the result of a new analysis by comparison.ch, the largest online marketplace for new and used cars in Switzerland. The Swiss paid an average of 23,161 francs for a used car in the first quarter of 2020, compared to an average of 29,550 francs in the third quarter of 2022. At the same time, the range of vehicles advertised on the platform has decreased by 29 percent over the same period, from more than 243,000 vehicles at the beginning of 2020 to currently around 173,000 vehicles (also interesting: 10 used vehicles that create a good mood).
“Corona and war-related delivery bottlenecks for new cars have caused prices to rise in the second-hand market,” explains Andrea Auer, Comparis mobility expert: “This has a double effect. On the one hand, new car waiting time due to disruption of supply chains due to the pandemic and the associated As the demand for used cars increased, on the other hand, less used cars entered the market because brand new cars could not be bought so quickly.»
E-cars are 50 percent more expensive
The price increase is particularly drastic for all-electric cars, which are becoming 50 percent more expensive. A Stromer on comapris.ch in the first quarter of 2020 cost an average of CHF 34,681, while in the third quarter of this year it was already an average of CHF 51,878. However, according to Andrea Auer, this increase should be handled with care: “The used car market for e-cars is still young and therefore very dynamic.” The price increase is mainly due to the rapidly growing variety of models in the e-car market: 25 manufacturers advertised e-cars in 2019, while the platform already listed 54 manufacturers with at least one e-car in existence. Year Offer (also interesting: Should I still buy an e-car despite the impending electricity crisis?).
Since the start of the pandemic, the range of e-cars in the used market has nearly doubled, but still at a low level compared to the general market: Only 3621, or almost two percent, of all vehicles on the platform are fully electric vehicles. . Still, according to the expert, the trend is clearly towards electric cars: “The electric car occasional market will grow significantly over the next few years.” Auer observes a similar development in used hybrid vehicles. Here the offer has more than doubled (from 5701 to 12’420), at the same time the average price has increased by 26 percent: from 38,612 to 48,828 francs.
Less diesel and petrol
On the other hand, there is a significant decrease in the supply of gasoline and diesel engine cars. Compared to the first quarter of 2020, about eight percent fewer used cars with gasoline engines are on sale – 39 percent less than diesel vehicles. But the prices for built-in technologies have also increased: for petrol engines, up 18 percent to CHF 28,254 today, and for diesel by 22 percent to CHF 53,648. “In the future, many manufacturers will rely on electric vehicles. It is therefore not surprising that the range of combustion engines is constantly decreasing,” summarizes Andrea Auer.
Andrew Engel
Source: Blick
I am David Miller, a highly experienced news reporter and author for 24 Instant News. I specialize in opinion pieces and have written extensively on current events, politics, social issues, and more. My writing has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC News. I strive to be fair-minded while also producing thought-provoking content that encourages readers to engage with the topics I discuss.
