In January 2025, Germany’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales surged to 34,498 units, a 53.5% increase from last year. This growth is attributed to the base effect from the previous year when EV sales were sluggish. Following the discontinuation of government subsidies in December last year, new EV registrations initially plummeted but have since gradually recovered over the past year, stabilizing at around 35,000 units per month.
The German auto market experienced a 2.8% decline in January, with total new vehicle registrations reaching 207,640 units. BEVs captured a 16.6% market share, a notable improvement from 2024’s 13.5% share achieved without subsidies.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) sold 17,712 units in the same period, securing an 8.5% market share. As a result, rechargeable vehicles, including BEVs and PHEVs, accounted for more than a quarter of all new registrations.
With a 30.0% market share and 62,358 registrations, gasoline vehicles saw a significant 23.7% year-over-year decline. Mild and full hybrid vehicles sold 59,252 units, capturing a 28.5% market share. Diesel vehicle registrations continued their downward trend, falling 19.5% to 32,956 units and a 15.9% market share. They are now trailing behind BEVs. LPG vehicles accounted for a minor 0.4% share with 859 registrations, while German authorities reported no new registrations for natural gas (CNG) or hydrogen vehicles.
Despite the overall growth in EV sales, Tesla performed poorly in the German market. Elon Musk’s political remarks have sparked controversy, leading to a sharp decline in Tesla sales across most European countries, including Germany.
