BOCHUM/FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - According to a study, customers can no longer expect high discounts on the German market for new cars. Following the cuts in the sales demand for electric cars, the Volkswagen Group, the largest supplier, has reduced its discounts for important combustion models. The list prices of the best-selling Passat and Tiguan have also been increased, according to the regular market study by the private CAR Institute.

As a result, this means increases of between 3.7 and 4.8 percent in the respective transaction price at VW. This is the amount that a buyer actually has to pay after deducting discounts from the list price.

According to CAR calculations, manufacturers currently grant a 16.2 percent discount for freely configured new cars with combustion engines. For purely electric cars, the average discount on the list price is 12.7 percent. Unlike its competitors, the manufacturer Tesla works with direct price changes and does not offer any further discounts.

The price gap between electric cars and combustion engines is somewhat reduced by higher transaction prices for combustion engines, explained study director Ferdinand Dudenhoffer. However, even with the slight price reductions at Tesla, this would not be enough to change the trend in the market towards more electric mobility. The low-priced Leapmotor T3, which the Stellantis Group is assembling with a Chinese partner in Poland, could bring movement from September.

The small car will be offered with a comparatively powerful lithium-ion battery that provides a range of around 280 kilometers. According to the manufacturer, the battery can be charged to 80 percent of its storage capacity in 36 minutes at a quick-charging station. According to "Auto Motor Sport", the T3 costs around 26,000 euros in France. Other European markets, including Germany, are to be supplied from September 2024./ceb/DP/zb