The electric car euphoria is dead. Long live the electric car!

Enthusiasm for electric cars is at a low point – but could soon revive, our author believes. However, providers need to deliver more than just an electric car.

It was only a matter of time: The enthusiasm surrounding electric cars has noticeably waned in Europe. According to Shell's latest " Recharge Electromobility Study 2024, " only 41 percent of Europeans are seriously considering switching, up from 48 percent a year ago. The reasons are well known: too expensive, too little charging infrastructure, too many compromises in everyday life.

What's causing nervousness in the boardrooms of OEMs is perhaps the best opportunity for startups and new mobility providers since the diesel scandal. After all, the market is there – it's just waiting for better offers.

For years, the automotive industry has failed to turn the electric car into an experience . Instead, range, charging times, and government subsidies have been discussed as if they were lawnmowers. Emotion? Hardly any. Convenience? None. And pricing? The dominant idea is still that buyers should either afford €45,000 cars or continue driving combustion engines.

But what if we rethink the business model? What if mobility isn't bought, but used – flexible, shared, and affordable?

The truth is: Anyone who drives an electric car today lives in a fragmented ecosystem – with too many apps, too little transparency, and too high prices. This is precisely where the opportunity lies for new players who don't sell hardware, but rather design experiences. They don't promise range, but solve everyday problems.

This is where startups come in. Companies like Finn , Cluno, and ViveLaCar have long been demonstrating how subscription models can replace traditional car leasing. No paperwork, no down payment, no risk – just drive away. For a generation that's used to Netflix instead of cable subscriptions, this sounds just right.

And suddenly, the electric car becomes attractive again – not despite, but because of its high acquisition costs. Paying 300 or 400 euros per month sounds more pleasant than having to pay a high four-figure sum as a down payment on a loan.

Added to this are data-based services that optimize charging times, compare electricity prices, or intelligently control the charging process via an app . All of these things that OEMs have so far only half-heartedly integrated into cars via third-party providers.

Of course, this doesn't solve all structural problems. Production remains expensive, grids are overloaded, and European countries' energy policies are often contradictory. But that doesn't mean demand has disappeared—it's just shifted. From ownership to access. From status to utility.

The next wave of mobility will not be triggered by established car manufacturers, but by those who understand mobility as a service. And if Europe wants to prevent the transition to electric cars from stalling completely, it must roll out the red carpet for these new ideas – regulatory, financial, and cultural.

For car manufacturers, this means they must become significantly more flexible. Above all, they must provide more support to dealers by offering short-term leasing and rental options. Customers today no longer buy a car to keep in the garage for years. They want variety at the lowest possible price.

Because people don't expect the perfect car. They want the best mobility solution for their personal everyday life and requirements. And manufacturers are currently failing to meet this requirement. But if the car becomes a consumer product due to the shift to e-mobility, then the industry must respond.