High prices are the main reason why German consumers are hesitant to switch to electric vehicles, according to a study commissioned by dpa.
A study conducted by the research institute YouGov showed that 47 percent of respondents cited excessive costs as the main obstacle to purchasing an electric car, SEEbiz reports.
Other top factors included the limited range of battery-powered vehicles, a problem for 42 percent of respondents, and a lack of charging stations, for 40 percent.
Only 30 percent of respondents were deterred by high electricity prices, while 24 percent expressed reservations that the technology was not yet fully developed.
Sales of electric vehicles fell 27 percent in Germany last year after a government subsidy expired.
As the research has shown, customers are not willing to spend huge sums to switch to battery-powered models.
Only 12 percent of respondents said they would be willing to pay more than 30 thousand euros for an electric vehicle.
However, despite increasing competition from China, cheap electric cars remain a rarity in Germany, with the ADAC drivers' club listing only six battery-powered models on sale below the 30 euro mark.
Europe's largest car manufacturer, Volkswagen, plans to launch an electric model at a price of around 20 euros.
Respondents in the YouGov survey showed a clear preference for German and European manufacturers, but were not willing to pay a significant premium for them.
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