DAT Report 2022
Waiting for better
DAT Report 2022
© press-inform – the press office
The latest DAT report shows that electric mobility is on the rise, but is still a long way from a breakthrough. Many motorists are still waiting.
What do customers want, what don’t they want? How is buying behavior changing and which models and drive types are in demand? These questions drive the strategists of the car manufacturers. So what regarding electromobility? “Electromobility is felt to be omnipresent, but in reality it plays a subordinate role,” is the conclusion of the DAT report, which has been providing a reliable description of the state of the German automobile market for 47 years. It is true that 59 percent of car buyers considered a vehicle with alternative drives when purchasing a new car. This is an increase of 21 percent compared to the previous year. The favorites are currently the hybrid models, i.e. vehicles that do not require a wall box, while only 22 percent considered a purely electric car. But declarations of intent are one thing, facts count and a different picture emerges: Only 43 percent have opted for a vehicle with an alternative drive, which also includes LPG / CNG vehicles, but at four percent they are even behind the hydrogen (six percent).
However, this change towards electromobility is also fueled by the subsidies. So the question is how sustainable the trend is. After all, 46 percent of drivers can imagine switching to an electric model, 22 percent are still unsure and 31 percent flatly reject electric vehicles. When asked when drivers can switch to an electric vehicle, 79 percent say they want to wait at least another three years. This skepticism manifests itself in the fact that 67 percent want to wait before switching to a BEV. If you put the magnifying glass on the skepticism, the limited range plays a role for 41 percent of new car buyers, 39 percent complain regarding the charging infrastructure, 37 percent complain regarding the (too high) price of the e-mobile and 36 percent are bothered by the long charging times. Another factor is the assessment of the eco-balance of the BEVs: 46 percent attest that the electric vehicles are environmentally friendly, but only twelve percent believe that the production of the electric vehicles is environmentally friendly. In contrast, 60 percent see synthetic fuels as a “climate-friendly alternative to electromobility”.
The DAT Report confirms the experience of new and used car sellers that demand far exceeds supply. This is mainly due to the difficulties in the supply chain (keyword semiconductor crisis) and has massive effects. The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) reports a decline in new car registrations of 10.1 percent compared to the previous year. The new car market also shrank, but only by 4.5 percent. This is due to the fact that many potential new car buyers switch to young used vehicles.
It’s no wonder that new car prices are skyrocketing. Anyone who bought a new car in 2021 had to put an average of 37,790 euros on the table. Absolute high in the 47-year history of the DAT report. A closer look reveals a clear difference between German premium brands and the imported vehicles: Buyers paid an average of 54,260 euros for the domestic premium products, but only 31,840 euros for the automobiles of the importers. In this wake of the new car price spiral, the used car prices are also noticeably rising and jump to an all-time high of 15,740 euros on average. This corresponds to an increase of seven percent or 1,010 euros compared to the previous year.
The higher prices also have something to do with the increased level of equipment, which is also driven by the increasingly comprehensive legal requirements. The vast majority of car buyers (72 percent of new and 65 percent of used car buyers) have a positive attitude towards the assistance systems and expect more safety on the way to autonomous driving. However, 60 percent expect repair costs to increase. Apparently, drivers have meanwhile gotten used to the helpers: around a third fear that they will be overwhelmed or distracted while driving.
The importance of individual mobility is unbroken: For 79 percent, owning a car is essential. This is an increase of four percent compared to the previous year, which was also influenced by the Covid 19 pandemic. The trend towards working from home and the reduced volume of travel naturally also has an effect on annual mileage: in 2021, Germans covered an average of 13,180 kilometers, which is a decrease of four percent. For diesel vehicles, the average was 16,430 kilometers (minus 5.6 percent). That doesn’t change the fact that the car remains the German’s favorite child. 55 percent have minor rust spots and scratches removed immediately and for 77 percent a maintenance backlog is a nightmare.
