The ADAC has recently evaluated its data on car costs in relation to electric cars. From this data, the club has concluded that battery-powered small cars will not be worthwhile. According to the ADAC, the purchase of a small electric car is twice as expensive as that of a combustion engine. However, their argument has been heavily criticized for its simplification of the issue.
The ADAC cites the Opel Corsa as proof of their thesis. The base petrol model costs €19,480, while the Corsa-e costs €34,650. However, the comparison is misleading since the combustion engine is a 1.2-liter suction engine with 55 kW. The version with a comparable 96 kW petrol engine, which costs €28,150, is more expensive than the electric car after the purchase support has been applied.
Furthermore, the ADAC claims that the overall costs of a small electric car are higher even if diesel prices were €2 per liter. However, this statement only indicates that the relevance of diesel cars in small car segments is non-existent. Additionally, the follow-up costs for an electric car are lower than that of a combustion engine, as shown in offers for flat-rate service contracts that include all maintenance costs.
However, it is important to note that the most crucial point in cost calculation is often neglected: the loss in value of the car. Due to the rapid progress in technology, electric cars are often granted a comparatively low residual value. Nevertheless, this value is subject to change in the coming years because the combustion engines may lose their attractiveness faster than many assume today.
The bottom line cost of a car depends on numerous personal factors. For example, the cost of driving energy is different if the electricity costs 10 cents, coming from the owner’s photovoltaic system, or from a public DC column. The ADAC’s demand that mobility must remain affordable still stands. However, it is no longer quite as violent as they portrayed it, and electric cars are already usually cheaper in terms of overall costs than comparable combustion engines.
