Marktstudie Neuwagen: Wegen hoher Nachfrage: E-Autos werden teurer

In Germany, electric vehicles are increasingly popular, but they are also becoming more expensive. Consumer demand is on the rise as well, as fuel for traditional combustion engine models becomes increasingly costly. According to the regular market study by the private Center Automotive Research (CAR) in Bochum, manufacturers and retailers increased discounts for gasoline-powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles in October.

This includes important volume models such as VW Golf, Opel Astra, and Fiat 500. Conversely, electric cars received smaller reductions on the list price. "The high price of gasoline creates space for slightly higher prices for electric cars," explains study leader Ferdinand Dudenhöffer. On average, the price at which a new car changes hands is 19.6 percent below list price for gasoline cars, while it is only 16.3 percent for electric cars.

However, significant government subsidies of up to 6,000 euros are available for electric cars if the individual's economic conditions are favorable. CAR regularly observes the offer prices for the 25 most sold cars in their respective categories. The average price difference between electric cars and gasoline cars grew to over 2,900 euros in October.

When fuel prices were much lower, in December 2025, electric cars were only 1,328 euros more expensive than gasoline-powered cars. For the 20 most sold plug-in hybrid vehicles, there was an average price reduction of 20.3 percent in October. Chinese manufacturer BYD led the pack with discounts of up to nearly 38 percent on the Seal 6 model. The EU and China have since agreed to limit the import of Chinese hybrid vehicles.