German Targobank’s yearly Car Study, a survey conducted by survey institute Forsa, shows that the average German is again increasingly falling back on gasoline cars rather than an electric one when considering buying a new car. The tendency is quite apparent: 30% would prioritize it, compared to 22% the year before.

The eagerness to switch to alternative drive trains is caving in, from 37% in 2020, 39% in 2021 to 36% in 2022. Diesel sinks further back into oblivion with 10%.

Only 16% (-1%) would go for a fully electric car, 18% (-4%) would choose a hybrid, and 20% are undecided. But with (part of) the German car industry pushing Europe to leave a loophole for the combustion engine beyond 2035, e-fuels are something now 78% of Germans have heard (+23%), and 54 percent (-3%) think the technology should be pursued.

65% rejects ban on ICE in 2035

It’s clear the e-fuel campaign of Porsche and like-minded bears fruit in Germany, working against electric vehicles. Some 65 percent (+5%) reject the ban on combustion engines that will come into force from 2035.

Even 66% (+5%) believe that e-cars are not a more environmentally friendly alternative than the current generation ICE cars. Despite numerous studies proving the opposite, widespread fallacies like the environmental damage of batteries is still a significant drawback (57%), on top of their ‘limited’ lifecycle (49% or +2%).

Range anxiety

While the Dutch lease drivers are overcoming step by step their range anxiety, the Germans excel in doom-mongering: 66% (+2%) claim insufficient range, and 63% cite the lack of public charging stations. And, of course, the higher purchase price of EVs (64% or +4%) also speaks against EVs.

The question is how far part of the car industry itself – and especially in Germany, where 800 000 people in this industry fear their survival depends on keeping the ICE alive – is nurturing this idea deliberately.

Das Auto: a sacred cow

The proven concept that EVs actually are rapidly becoming cheaper in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) than gasoline cars in most European markets today, expressed by several studies, is something the general public remains deaf and blind for. On the other hand, the idea of a car subscription instead of owning one wins ground: 49% have heard of it, and 31% like the idea.

‘Das Auto’ remains a sacred cow for Germans, as 77% oppose car-free inner cities or a speed limit of 30 km/hour. Still, 63% (+1%) agree a speed limit of 135 km/hour is appropriate on German highways, while 35% reject it.