Half of Swiss do not want to buy electric cars

Electric cars have been breaking sales records one after another in recent years. In Switzerland, the Tesla Model Y is even the best-selling model, the Stromer. Tesla Model 3 was already at the top of the statistics in 2021. But that may soon come to an end because half of Swiss are not currently buying an electric or hybrid car. This was demonstrated in a survey by the Swiss automobile trade association AGVS.

When purchasing a car, 45 percent of the respondents prefer the internal combustion engine (34% gasoline, 11% diesel) rather than electric driving. Surprisingly, especially among the youngest group between the ages of 18 and 29, 42 percent prefer the gasoline engine! For comparison: in 2022 Switzerland’s share of pure gasoline or diesel engine sales fell from 42 percent to 38 percent and from 14 percent to 12 percent. So the trend is still towards electrification.

Fear of rising electricity prices

Of all respondents, 20 percent would buy electric cars (2022 sales share 18%) and 25 percent would buy a hybrid or plug-in hybrid. And Röstigraben lives on: E-cars are less popular in western Switzerland than in German-speaking Switzerland (15% versus 22%). What’s wrong with electric cars? According to the study, the reasons for this include no home charging option (57%), little range (54%), and rising electricity prices or lack of energy (52%, leading with 57% among women). This is followed by more precise travel planning (47%), fewer public charging stations (41%) and higher purchase price (39%).

This is probably one of the reasons why the majority rejects the EU’s 2035 ban on internal combustion engines: 50 percent say “wrong” and 38 percent say “correct”. First of all, 30-44 year olds (55%) are against it. Instead of bans, it is demanded that all options, including synthetic fuels, be used, and that innovations in the drive sector should not be hindered by bans.

Autogewerbeband seeks openness to technology

AGVS Center President and National Assembly Member Thomas Hurter (54) is sounding the same horn. “Being against bans and being open to technology doesn’t mean leaving things ‘as is’. But to act as quickly and innovatively as possible.» The survey was conducted in November 2022 for a special issue of the AGVS specialist magazine “Autoinside” (click here for e-paper) on alternative drives. 893 people aged between 18 and 79 from German-speaking Switzerland and Romania were interviewed. They all have a driver’s license and have at least one car in the household. Another poll on the subject shows how little Swiss know about alternative rides.

The results of both surveys should be a topic of discussion this Tuesday, the 17th “Swiss Garage Owner Day” in Bern. 800 people attend the largest experts conference in Switzerland for the local auto industry and discuss the future of the automobile.