Eight out of ten car owners: Electric cars are too expensive

A Sifo survey we conducted shows that 83 percent believe that electric cars are too expensive. For 55 percent, this is a clear opinion, while 28 percent believe that this applies to at least certain models.

– Buying a car is a big investment, so I fully understand that many people still perceive electric cars as expensive. At the same time, the feeling is that the price picture has not really kept up with market developments. Many people still associate electric cars with the high prices that prevailed a few years ago. But today the market looks different. Competition has increased, several manufacturers have lowered their prices and there are significantly more models to choose from, says Daniel Odsberg, Sales Manager at Kvdbil .

Reflected in all age groups

He said that the used market has grown rapidly, making electric cars significantly more accessible to many car buyers.

– In several segments, the electric car is no longer the obviously more expensive option.

The view that electric cars are expensive is found in all age groups, but is somewhat less widespread among people between the ages of 20 and 34. The perception is strongest among diesel and gasoline drivers, but even among those who already drive electric cars or plug-in hybrids, almost four out of five believe that electric cars are still too expensive.

Pressed prices

The electric car market has changed rapidly in recent years. Several manufacturers have lowered prices, new models have been launched in lower price ranges, while Chinese brands have increased competition further. Today, you can find several new electric cars on the Swedish market with prices ranging from around 250,000 to 350,000 SEK.

The development has also been clear in the used market. During 2025 and the first half of 2026, almost seven out of ten used electric cars were sold for under SEK 300,000 with us. Almost four out of ten were sold for under SEK 200,000. A used electric car sells for an average of SEK 250,000, while a plug-in hybrid costs an average of SEK 265,000. The corresponding average price is SEK 189,000 for a gasoline car and SEK 155,000 for a diesel car.

Larger selection of used electric cars

Despite this, only five percent of Swedes still believe that electric cars have become affordable.

– This shows that the price picture is still lagging behind market developments. Many people still associate electric cars with the high prices that prevailed when the technology was new, while the used range has grown rapidly and made significantly more models economically accessible, says Daniel Odsberg.

This is what Sweden's car owners think

Do you think electric cars are too expensive even after price reductions and a wider range of used cars?

Percentage who think electric cars are too expensive (yes, absolutely + partly). Distributed by age group.

Percentage who think electric cars are too expensive (yes, absolutely + partly). Distributed by fuel.

About the survey:
The survey was conducted in Sifo's web panel (Sifopanelen) during the period March 3–11, 2026. A total of 1,040 people aged 20–79 with access to a car were interviewed.

The web panel is nationally representative and recruited based on random selection. There is no self-recruitment in Sifo's web panel.