Florian Christopher
When a Electric SUV of a Chinese manufacturer on the home market for the equivalent of around 25.000 Euro is sold, you can in this country – thumbs up – with about 40.000 Euro calculate for the same model.
A little more specific: The Xpeng P7 is in the Netherlands ab 49.990 Euro to have. In China the same electric car costs the equivalent of only 28.300 Euro. The Aiways U5 is in China ab 22.600 Euro to have, in Germany costs the electric SUV at least 37.600 Euro.
But why is that so? How come these huge price differences come about that cause disappointment among European customers? We asked around and explain why Chinese e-cars are so much more expensive in Europe.
Information only behind closed doors
First of all: when asked about the high price differences, importers and car manufacturers alike wrap themselves in it Be silent. No one wants to look at the cards and provide precise details on how the Europe price of Chinese electric cars comes about.
Some industry insiders were then willing to Information about pricing to deliver. However, only under the condition that no names and no manufacturers are publicly named.
The state subsidies
“If China advertises an electric car at a price of – say – 12,000 euros, then they are there generous government grants already taken into account. Depending on the region in China, the car actually costs, i.e. without subsidies, maybe 16,000 euros,” explains an industry insider to futurezone.
Will this vehicle for the Sale in Austria imported, the import company cannot benefit from the subsidized sales price: “An importer gets one special pricewhich depends on the number of items, etc., but it does not come close to the subsidized sales price in China.”
Expensive approval process
Before a Chinese electric car can even be sold in Europe, a complex approval process necessary, which is associated with high costs. During this so-called homologation, the vehicle and its individual parts are checked down to the smallest detail. These include, among others, the NCAP-Chrashtests.
The Checking the vehicle electronics and driver assistance systemssays a car expert to futurezone: “The more electronics are installed in a car, the more demanding and complex the homologation is.”
How high the costs for the approval process are actually in the EU, even car manufacturers and importers disagree about this: While some talk about a 3-digit million amount per model, others cannot understand such high registration costs and doubt such a statement.
High million amount
If you add up all the costs incurred by the approval process in the EU, you will definitely end up with one high million amount come, it is said of another car manufacturer.
Differences in the information can also result from the fact that different approval types for Europe. The approval of a small series, the volume of which is limited to a certain number of pieces on vehicles limited is, for example, much cheaper than the homologation of a unlimited admission for certain models.
freight costs, import duty and distribution
Once an electric car is finally approved for sale in the EU, the vehicles have to be shipped from China to Europe. “A lot is falling at the moment high freight costs which is primarily due to the high energy and fuel costs,” explains one of the industry insiders Importzoll in the amount of 10 percent due.
In order for the vehicles to end up with the customers, a sales strategy is of course necessary. Depending on how the sale is organized, Showroom costs, retail space and car dealerships be counted. Also building one workshop network including equipment with the respective special tools squeezes the budget.
Marketing, legal adjustments and profit margin
In addition, money is needed for brand building, Advertising and Marketing. Also the cost of Europe-wide mobility guarantee should not be neglected, as an insider points out. Besides, that would higher wage level and the higher non-wage labor costs reflected in sales prices in Europe.
Not to be forgotten are numerous legal adjustments, as it is called by a car manufacturer. This means, for example, extensive adjustments to the vehicle software and any Smartphone-Appsso that their functionality with the EU-wide General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is consistent.
An industry insider summarizes: “Now if you take all these costs into account, a car manufacturer or importer selling the vehicles in Europe not earned a euro yet. So in the end there has to be a corresponding profit margin be added.”
