Google search reveals: This is how interest in electric cars has changed during the economic crisis

Searches for affordable and used electric cars are increasing on Google, while interest in new models is decreasing. This is shown by our review of Swedes' Googling.

Do you often Google electric cars? You are not alone. Every month, around half a million searches are made on Google in Sweden related to electric cars. So far this year, however, the number of searches has decreased slightly compared to the previous year. A peak was reached last autumn in connection with the abolition of the climate bonus, and since then searches have not really recovered.

– Many people rushed their orders to take advantage of the bonus, which led to a significant increase in searches. Now the bonus is gone, while the economic situation has deteriorated further. This has resulted in fewer people searching for electric cars, but above all it has affected how we search for information, says Daniel Odsberg, sales manager at Kvdbil .

For example, the search for "order electric car" has decreased by 50 percent since last year, while "buy electric car" is showing a slight upward trend. This suggests that many people are still interested in getting an electric car, but perhaps not necessarily a brand new one, Odsberg says.

This thesis is strengthened by the fact that searches for new electric car models have decreased by 70 percent. From around 1,000 searches per month in 2022 to only 260 searches so far this year. At the same time, the search for "used electric car" has increased significantly. From 880 searches per month to 1,300 searches per month, corresponding to 81 percent. The search for "cheap electric car" has also increased sharply, which underlines that the economy has become more important in choosing a car. In one year, the increase is 50 percent.

But there are also examples of recent changes in search patterns. Particularly noticeable is the change for the search "cheap leasing electric car", which has soared by a whopping 143 percent in the past three months. Daniel Odsberg believes that this may be because interest rates continued to rise after the summer, and that even more people are now looking for favorable terms and different offers.

Search boom for electric station wagons

Another interesting trend is that there has been an increase in searches for electric station wagons and family cars, especially after the summer. According to Daniel Odsberg, this phenomenon can be linked to the growing supply of electric station wagons on the market, something he believes is in strong demand, especially in Sweden.

– The estate car is the classic family car in Sweden, but unfortunately the range of electric cars in estate versions is relatively limited, which means that families often choose larger SUVs if they want an electric car. But changes are afoot. Several car manufacturers are now launching their first electric estate cars, and that may be one of the reasons for the increase. This is something that many have been looking forward to, says Daniel Odsberg.

The question everyone wants answered

In addition to economics, searches related to batteries and charging are popular. Searches for charging stations, batteries and range rank high in the search lists. When it comes to brands, Tesla is at the top, followed by Polestar, MG, Kia, Ora and Volvo. Odsberg believes that the Chinese brand Ora reaches such a high position because it was launched in Sweden as late as November last year, and that many are curious.

From time to time, we also do searches that are longer and more specific, often in the form of direct questions. By far the most common is "which electric car should I buy?", which is entered into the search field about 300 times each month. Another popular question is the similar search "which electric car is best?" (about 200 times/month). Also on the list are: "which electric car has the longest range?" (about 150 times/month), "which charging box is best?" (about 70 times per month), "which electric car is the most affordable?" (about 50 times/month), and "which charging app is best?" (about 20 times/month).

More people are searching for used cars

Since interest in the second-hand market has generally increased during the economic downturn, we have also done a trend analysis here. If you look at the number of monthly searches for "used car", there has been an increase of 50 percent compared to a year ago. At the same time, searches for "sell used car" have decreased by 50 percent.

– The search trends confirm the market's development. As the economy has become tougher and more people are forced to make priorities, more people are turning to the second-hand market in search of more economical alternatives. But we can also see that people are keeping their current car longer. Enjoying the new car smell is a luxury that fewer and fewer people are able to afford, says Odsberg.

When it comes to used cars, it is mainly brands and models that stand out in searches. Volvo and Toyota share the top spot, followed by Audi, Mercedes, Kia and Volkswagen. When it comes to specific models, the Toyota Yaris tops the list, followed by the Volvo V60 and XC60, Renault Clio, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Ceed.

Most common searches for electric car

1. Charging station

2. Cheap electric car

3. Electric car charging app

4. Private leasing electric car

5. Electric cars 2023

6. Best electric car 2023

7. Small electric car

8. Cost of charging an electric car

9. Chinese electric car

10. Electric car range

About the analysis
Kvdbil has analyzed search behavior on Google with a focus on the years 2023 and 2022, but also further back to identify patterns and trend breaks. In the list of the most common searches for electric cars, similar searches have been grouped together.