Waterborne cathodic electrodeposition (CED) coating compositions comprising resin solids and optionally pigments, fillers and conventional coating additives, wherein said CED coating compositions comprise at least one bismuth compound in a quantity of 0.1 to 2.5 wt. %, calculated as bismuth and relative to resin solids content, together with at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from among acyclic dicarboxylic acids with 3 to 7 carbon atoms and dicarboxylic acids with 8 to 10 carbon atoms comprising a cyclic structural unit in a quantity of 3 to 15 equivalent-%, relative to the acid equivalents present in the CED coating composition.