MUNICH (dpa-AFX) - When buying a car, Germans are particularly concerned about the price. In a recent survey, 62 percent cited it as one of the most important criteria for brand selection, according to management consulting firm Deloitte. By contrast, product quality, in second place, only received 53 percent.

According to the survey, which was also conducted in other countries, only the Japanese rank price higher than product quality. In the United Kingdom, the two are neck and neck, while in China, India, South Korea, the United States and Southeast Asia, respondents attach greater importance to quality. This is particularly evident in China and India, where the gap is 25 and 19 points respectively.

The range of how expensive the next car should be is wide: in Germany, 10 percent of respondents are targeting a price of less than 10,000 euros, while a further 11 percent are targeting the range between 10,000 and 14,999 euros. The 15,000 to 29,999 euro range is the target of 29 percent of respondents. Between 30,000 and 49,999 euros, the figure is 28 percent. Another 12 percent are aiming for 50,000 to 74,999 euros, and three percent are even targeting the range above that.

Combustion engines are becoming more popular again

By contrast, the survey brings bad news for electric vehicles: only 14 percent of respondents said they would prefer an all-electric car for their next car. Although this is the second-highest figure among the other countries and regions, behind China with 27 percent, the figure has largely stagnated over the past two years. By contrast, the purchase intentions for pure combustion engines have increased significantly. Currently, 53 percent express this preference, compared to 49 percent a year ago and only 45 percent two years ago.

What is striking about the survey is that Germans seem to have a particularly high fear of range. Only 20 percent of respondents would be satisfied with less than 400 kilometers. This is the lowest figure among the countries – although the USA and UK were not considered here because the range expectations were surveyed in miles and are therefore not comparable. In contrast, 27 percent of those surveyed in Germany want a range of 600 kilometers or more – the highest figure of all comparable countries.

Range and price are the main concerns

It is fitting that the top two concerns for consumers in Germany when purchasing an all-electric car are range and price. The only other countries where this applies are the United Kingdom and Japan. Lack of charging infrastructure is the third most common concern in Germany.

Harald Proff, global head of the automotive sector at Deloitte, says that readily available charging stations and cheaper vehicles are crucial factors for the ramp-up of electric mobility. "To get more electric cars on the road in this country, they have to become more attractive. There needs to be a wider range of small and midsize vehicles and a more rapid expansion of the infrastructure."

The survey, which Deloitte has been conducting regularly since 2010, questioned 31,000 consumers in 30 countries last fall, 1,500 of them in Germany./ruc/DP/zb