Dwindling interest in electric cars in Switzerland
Despite initial euphoria, interest in electric cars is stagnating. These are the findings of a survey conducted by insurer AXA Switzerland in collaboration with the Sotomo research institute. At the same time, more people are planning to buy a car again. American manufacturers are losing ground, German cars remain favourites.
Based on the results of the third AXA Mobility Survey,AXA Switzerland warns that dwindling interest in electric cars could jeopardise the mobility turnaround. According to a statement from the insurance company headquartered in Winterthur, the figures generally give reason to speak of a trend reversal for the automotive market: Between 2023 and 2025, the proportion of those planning to buy a car rose by 12 per cent to 34 per cent. At the same time, only 24 per cent are considering an electric car; in 2023, this was an option for 34 per cent. The underlying representative survey was conducted in May 2025 in cooperation with the Sotomo research institute in Zurich.
According to the study, electric mobility is currently rejected by 30 per cent of respondents, compared to 25 per cent in 2023. The growing reservations relate to range, price and charging options. According to the press release, the used car market for e-cars continues to lag behind that for combustion engines. The reasons for this are concerns about the condition of the battery and the rapid pace of technological development. At the same time, the reputation of electric cars has fallen by 9 per cent in the past year. “Despite these obvious difficulties in getting electric cars accepted, only a minority of 38 per cent are still in favour of greater political support for the drive technology,” Sotomo Director Michael Hermann is quoted as saying.
Regardless of the drive technology, AXA is observing that German makes are the undisputed leaders in the wake of the upturn in the automotive market; Chinese makes, particularly BYD, are catching up. Electric cars from the USA are losing popularity.
The survey also asked what the population thinks of autonomous driving: Scepticism prevails here, mainly due to safety concerns and possible cyber attacks. The majority of car owners are concerned about the misuse of their vehicle data, according to the survey.