He Business The automobile has been in a constant roller coaster ride since the advent of the coronavirus. Before that, car prices were already skyrocketing, but everything we’ve seen since Covid-19, semiconductor shortages, and the Ukrainian war, with factories shutting down to save a few Euros, completely outfitted cars. up sale. , faced with the option of waiting for months and months.
In the electric car, there’s another variable added to the equation: lithium. If all the above factors had increased the uncertainty in the market, then the increase in the prices of key raw materials made all-electric cars skyrocket. More so if we take into account their low output, comparatively speaking, compared to combustion.
Over time, the condition has gone Stable And we’ve seen how the price increases have come down. In fact, Tesla has aggressively reduced the price of its Model 3 and Model Y. Even sedans have entered our cheap electric car club. Some firms, such as Ford, have responded, but for a year this particular group has remained between 18 and 22 cars.
Next, we are going to try to understand what is the status of the cheapest electric cars in our country, based on their price and what has been the development in the last year.
Little reference
First of all, let’s limit it to what is now a “affordable electric car” And because. And we know it’s going to be controversial.
First of all, how are the machines? Machines are of course expensive. In fact, some analysts say this is a bad time to buy a car, as market developments suggest that once some restrictions are lifted, manufacturers will again be able to produce large numbers of vehicles. And they have to reduce. prices to reduce their production. stock.
But, in addition, it should be borne in mind that the price of the cheapest versions it shot In recent years. In seven years, the price of a basic Dacia Sandero has gone up from 8,400 to 14,000 euros. A seat Leon has gone from 17,430 to around 26,000 euros. And a 2008 Peugeot that started at 15,000 Euros is already at 25,000 Euros.
Therefore, it should be taken into account that access prices have increased (significantly). To this we must add that electric cars have low production volumes and command a premium over combustion versions in order to be profitable.
The market reference makes us raise the limit of the “cheap electric car” to 40,000 euros
Brands have started selling it to justify this premium more expensive version of their vehicles, as potential buyers have fewer reserves to meet this payment. Something similar happens in the cheapest versions, where electric cars usually include the most complete and technical equipment. Really, you can’t compare a basic Peugeot 208 with a Peugeot e-208.
All this has led to the supply of small electric cars, which also have less autonomy and, therefore, the biggest incentive for their sales, which have a much greater reach.
And yet, located in our range 40.000 euro, An economic constraint, which at the moment represents 1.41 of the average Spanish salary, which is currently 28,360 euros. And, yet, the government believes that the subsidy for an electric car should be even higher than this hurdle. Any car that costs less than 45,000 euros without VAT can be part of the MOVES III scheme.
As these subsidies have their own characteristics and not all customers will get the direct financial assistance of 7,000 Euros to purchase the vehicle. We have always decided to go with the official price that the brand is announcing in its configurator, without any kind of subsidy.
Composite photography
To understand what is in front of us. The first data collection we did on all electric cars sold for less than 40,000 euros in our country was completed on 16 June. Now in the last bars of May have returned to take the pulse of the market. On the way we stopped in August and November.
The average number of electric cars sold for less than €40,000 on June 16 was €31,378. Almost a year later, the average price of the cheapest Spanish electric car has risen by around 3,300 euros. Currently, the average stands at 34.691 Euro,
This is due to two main factors. Of the first 17 vehicles that entered the sample, none of the cars sold for less money than the year before. Only the Smart EQ ForTwo is handled in a very similar price range, with an increase of 73 euros. In contrast, three models have left the club: the Cupra Borne (now 42,100 euros), the Renault Megane E-Tec (43,392 euros) and the Kia e-Niro (44,165 euros). In the latter case, it should be borne in mind that the generation has been changed over the past year.
Also, a good number of models have entered the affordable electric car segment in recent months. The most famous case is the Tesla Model 3 at 39,990 euros, but, in final count Up to seven cars are entered in the said club. The average of these new incorporations has been 33,155 Euros. And partly it’s not much thanks to the fact that the MG4 Electric (30,690 euros) undercuts the average significantly. Without that, the average would be 37,480 euros.
Vehicles that have become more and less expensive
If we look specifically at the cars that count more than once in this group of electric vehicles under 40,000 euros, the average increase over this time has been 5,810 euros.
to understand it Development Among the cars that have been present on more than one occasion in the club of the cheapest electric cars in Spain, the Kia e-Niro (8,065 euros more than a year ago), the Renault Megane should be seen in absolute prices. e-Tec (increased by 8,192 euros) and the Fiat 500e (up by 6,246 euros).
But, without a doubt, what surprises the most (it also tops the list) is the Kia e-Soul (10,000 euros more than a year ago), a car whose current version has been on the market since 2019 and Which has been done with other new electric cars like the Kia EV6 and the Kia e-Niro.
In floor In the spectrum, as we said, the Smart EQ Fortwo is the only car that has kept its price practically unchanged with an increase of 73 euros. Next up is the Renault Twingo e-Tec, which has seen a price increase of only 305 euros. Of course, they are two cars with very low autonomy, as they are approved according to the WLTP cycle 132 kilometers (Smart EQ ForTwo) and 190 kilometers (Renault Twingo e-Tec).
Opening the hand a bit and taking a more representative example, the third car that has become less expensive is the Peugeot 2008 and it did so for 1,500 euros. Only the Peugeot e-208 (1,850 euros more than a year ago) and the Nissan Leaf (1,988 euros more) join it in this bar. They are the only electric cars that have become more expensive in recent years from less than 40,000 euros to more than 2,000 euros.
Finally, electric cars that have joined the club The ones that sold for less than 40,000 Euro at our last count are the following:
- MG4 Electric: 30:690 Euro.
- Opel Corsa E: 34,190 Euro.
- MG5 Electric: 35.490 Euro.
- Electric Jeep Avenger: 37,371 Euros.
- Mini Cooper SE: 37,940 Euro.
- SsangYong Korando Emotion: 39.900 Euro.
- Tesla Model 3: 39.990 Euro.
