Plug-In Car Sales In Germany Are Down Despite Overall Car Market Growth

In June, new passenger car registrations in Germany increased by 6.1% year over year to 297,329 units, taking the first-half result to 1,471,641, up 5.4% year over year. Unfortunately, plug-in car sales continued to decrease.

The total number of new plug-in electric car registrations last month amounted to 58,803, down 15% year over year. The market share decreased to 19.8%, compared to 24.6% a year ago.

Battery-electric car registrations decreased by 18% year-over-year to 43,412, taking the EV market share down to 14.6%, compared to 18.9% a year ago. Plug-in hybrid car registrations were down 3.4% year-over-year to 15,391.

The results are pretty disappointing, and we can probably lose hope that 2024 will bring any growth compared to 2022 and 2023, mainly because there are no longer any EV incentives.

Plug-in car registrations last month (YOY change):

• BEVs: 43,412 (down 18%) and 14.6% market share
• PHEVs: 15,391 (down 3%) and 5.2% market share
• Total: 58,803 (down 15%) and 19.8% market share

So far this year, new passenger plug-in electric car registrations have amounted to 273,674, down 9% year over year. Plug-ins account for 18.6% of the total sales volume, compared to 21.4% a year earlier.

Plug-in car registrations year-to-date (YOY change):

• BEVs: 184,125 (down 16%) and 12.5% market share
• PHEVs: 89,549 (up 13%) and 6.1% market share
• Total: 273,674 (down 9%) and 18.6% market share

For reference, in 2023, 699,943 new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in Germany, close to 25% of the total volume.

Last month, Volkswagen (9,725), Mercedes-Benz (5,611), and BMW (3,444) were the brands with the highest number of plug-in electric car registrations. In the all-electric car segment, the top ones were Volkswagen (9,398), MG (4,669), and Tesla (4,648).

Tesla was down 42% year-over-year in June and no longer sells as many EVs as in 2023.

Plug-in car registrations by brands with over 2,000 last month:

• Volkswagen: 9,725 – 9,398 BEVs and 327 PHEVs
• Mercedes-Benz: 5,611 – 2,149 BEVs and 3,462 PHEVs
• BMW: 5,232 – 3,444 BEVs and 1,788 PHEVs
• MG Roewe: 4,670 – 4,669 BEVs and 1 PHEV
• Tesla: 4,648 BEVs
• Audi: 3,606 – 2,165 BEVs and 1,441 PHEVs
• Volvo: 3,573 – 1,680 BEVs and 1,893 PHEVs
• Seat: 3,213 – 1,721 BEVs and 1,492 PHEVs
• Skoda: 2,339 – 2,318 BEVs and 21 PHEVs
• Hyundai: 2,176 – 1,814 BEVs and 362 PHEVs

After the first six months of the year, Mercedes-Benz remained the brand with the highest number of rechargeable car registrations. Meanwhile, Volkswagen has strengthened its position at the top in the all-electric car segment, with a noticeable advantage over Tesla at 29,213 vs. 21,249.

Plug-in car registrations by brands year-to-date (at least 6,000):

• Mercedes-Benz: 37,173 – 15,494 BEVs and 21,679 PHEVs
• Volkswagen: 31,164 – 29,213 BEVs and 1,951 PHEVs
• BMW: 29,285 – 18,312 BEVs and 10,973 PHEVs
• Tesla: 21,249 BEVs
• Audi: 19,673 – 11,570 BEVs and 8,103 PHEVs
• Volvo: 18,543 – 7,909 BEVs and 10,634 PHEVs
• Seat: 13,809 – 6,256 BEVs and 7,553 PHEVs
• MG Roewe: 11,026 – 11,023 BEVs and 3 PHEVs
• Hyundai: 10,235 – 8,371 BEVs and 1,864 PHEVs
• Skoda: 10,107 – 9,629 BEVs and 478 PHEVs
• Kia: 8,589 – 5,945 BEVs and 2,644 PHEVs
• smart: 8,549 BEVs
• Opel: 7,643 – 4,362 BEVs and 3,281 PHEVs
• Ford: 7,057 – 1,544 BEVs and 5,513 PHEVs
• Porsche: 6,561 – 1,749 BEVs and 4,812 PHEVs

The Tesla Model Y remains Germany’s best-selling all-electric car model this year, with 16,662 registrations year-to-date (down 40% year-over-year), including 3,346 in June (down 45%). 

The second best, the Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 duo, noted 1,828 units last month (down 65% year-over-year) and 11,119 in the first half of the year (down 40%).

Top all-electric models year-to-date in 2024 (YOY change):

• Tesla Model Y – 16,662 (down 40%)
• Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 – 11,119 (down 40%)
• Skoda Enyaq iV – 9,629 (up 24%)
• Volkswagen ID.3 – 13,310 (up 12%)
• Audi Q4 e-tron – 7,115 (down 14%)