A high-pressure discharge lamp for vehicle headlights has a power consumption of less than 100 watt. The high-pressure discharge lamp includes a quartz glass discharge recipient (10) having two opposing ends (101, 102) which are sealed by molybdenum films (103, 104). Two electrodes (11, 12) which are respectively connected to one of the molybdenum films (103, 104), and an ionisable filler containing xenon and a halogenide of sodium and scandium, are arranged in the inner region (106) of the discharge recipient (10), for producing a gas discharge. The minimum distance (A) between the respective molybdenum film (103, 104) and the end of the electrode (11, 12) which is connected thereto and protrudes into the inner region (106) of the discharge recipient (10) is more than 5 mm.