The newspaper arrives in the mailbox every day by subscription. You can even have the organic farm’s vegetable box delivered to you as a weekly subscription, and digital subscriptions for music or film streaming services are becoming increasingly popular. The e-car is now also available as a subscription.
This means that there is one more option for switching from a combustion engine to a plug-in hybrid or electric car. The hybrid form combines leasing, which is more commonly used by traders in this country, with classic rental car offers. The business model comes from the USA, the shorter the subscription duration, the higher the rates.
As a rule, the subscriptions run for six to twelve months with a flat rate – this includes usage, insurance, taxes, inspections, inspection stickers and even seasonal wheel changes. With some providers, as with rental car companies, the vehicles are divided into categories; During a subscription you can even change the car often within the category. The advantage: Less equity has to be raised.
Personal mobility behavior is decisive
So who is the model for? “The decisive factor is personal daily mobility behavior,” says Karsten Neuberger from the Chair for General Business Administration & Mobility at the University of Duisburg-Essen. “In contrast to car sharing, we have the car available around the clock for cash purchases, finance purchases, leasing or three-way financing.” It is difficult to make a general assessment of the attractiveness of subscription offers because the services and prices of the various providers differ significantly.
In general, insurance is an essential part of the subscription offer: the premiums for purchase or leasing are what changes most individually depending on the user. In contrast to depreciation, which is independent of who drives or what age the driver is, for example. “Since a flat rate is paid for the subscription, the insurance is flat. It does not matter whether I have been driving accident-free for 30 years and therefore the tariff would be very low. Or whether I would have to pay a high individual insurance tariff as a novice driver”, explains Neuberger.
The subscription, says Neuberger, is particularly interesting if you want flexibility. But: “The more flexible the offer, the higher the prices. If a longer holding period is possible, leasing could be more attractive, since the monthly rate and the total costs are significantly cheaper with terms of three to four years.”
Test the new technology without obligation
But e-leasing offers for private users are also becoming increasingly popular and serve to lower the inhibition threshold for switching to electric cars. “It is a psychological support, especially for first-time users, i.e. customers who have no experience with e-mobility”, Josef Reitberger suspects. The editor-in-chief of the electromobility portal efahrer.com refers to “amazing leasing rates” because the logic is reversed. Normally: “The longer I lease, the lower the leasing rate. But since the subsidy is included, there is, for example, the plug-in hybrid Passat GTE, calculated over two years for 99 euros a month.”
According to Reitberger, you can currently lease all-electric cars even cheaper, as the subsidy is higher. But he warns: “You have to pay attention to the small print with these spectacularly cheap contracts.” Collection from the factory, additional takeover costs or a limited number of kilometers can add to the costs, reports the portal Cost calculator offers.
In principle, you should also check whether the rental of the battery is included or whether additional costs arise here. You can also get an environmental bonus when leasing e-cars and vehicles with plug-in hybrid drives. While the manufacturer’s share is offset immediately (this must be evident from the leasing contract), you have to advance the state share and get it back after approval from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control, in short: BAFA. Of course, this only applies to eligible models. “Be careful with short-term leasing: there is only full funding from the state if you lease for more than two years,” says ADAC spokesman Christian Buric.
Take away the fear of the electric car
The ADAC wants to take away the fear of the e-car with its own offers, but also with basic leasing recommendations. “The technical development cycles for electric cars are currently so fast that leasing, for example every three years, is attractive,” explains Buric. “The consumer always has a car that is up to date.” Buric advises that with all leasing offers, pay attention to whether you conclude a contract with or without a down payment. Usually, leasing does not include maintenance, inspection or repairs.
Buric also strongly recommends a test drive before leasing. There are manufacturers who offer a 24-hour test drive. “You could simply ask for such an extended test drive at the dealership of your choice, among other things to familiarize yourself with the topic of charging, for example.”
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