Electromobility as a Station Wagon Killer: Why?

Worldwide, SUVs and sporty GT sedans are on the rise. The former wagon inventor and market maker, the USA, has barely any models listed anymore, and wagons always remained somewhat unfamiliar to Asians and Southern Europeans. However, Scandinavia, the UK, and Germany especially love wagons. And rightly so: They offer additional space where notchback or fastback designs needlessly waste it, and they only consume minimally more fuel than their sedan counterparts. One argument against wagons could be aerodynamics. The ideal shape would be a sporty-chic droplet like the Mercedes-Benz EQXX. But: Every SUV is aerodynamically much worse by principle and will always be so.

In Central Europe, model lines without wagons look down the tube in terms of sales

And not only in their circle of friends, there are many people who need flexible space but not nearly as much as in a van or bus. And: They like to sit sportily low and have no desire whatsoever to pay the SUV surcharge at the gas station for poor aerodynamics and a large frontal area. Especially when you see with Alfa (only Stelvio instead of Giulia wagon) or Jaguar (E-Pace instead of XE wagon) that sedans are on a losing streak with the SUV as a wagon replacement. Audi would face a similar fate with the A4/A6, BMW with the 3 Series/5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz with the C/E-Class or Volvo with the S60/S90, Skoda with the Octavia/Superb, and VW with the Passat.

It is precisely for this reason that the VW Group is rather considering building the Superb and Passat only as wagons in the future and discontinuing the sedans. The sedans only offer an optical advantage as sporty "coupes," which they are not.

And so, it is precisely Porsche with the Taycan Sport- or Cross Turismo and MG with the compact station wagon MG 5 electric that for the foreseeable future will be offering the only electric station wagons – even though this type of vehicle is not in demand at all in China. But since MG as a brand has British roots and the Porsche is not officially a station wagon... Anyway: The station wagon is dead – long live the station wagon! Gladly also electric!

What does that mean?

Interesting how the market is changing, but absolutely not only for the better: With the diesels (still good for very long distances) also dying, the affordable and (globally) open convertibles, minivans, and now the station wagons are disappearing as well. A pity for the diversity and energetically absolutely not only sensible....