New electric car registrations in Germany 2003-2024

More Germans own new electric cars, with almost 276,400 registrations thus far in 2024. Recent years show significant peaks in growth compared to earlier in the timeline, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. How does this compare to car ownership in general?

Work in progress

While registration numbers as such are growing, electric cars are still a relatively new type of vehicle on the German car market. As of 2024, battery-powered electric vehicles had a market share of around three percent, while plug-in hybrids had around two percent. Figures will not explode overnight, with several factors contributing. These include competition from China as a major electric vehicle producer, the vehicles themselves being more expensive and the necessity of a larger public charging station network if ownership numbers continue to grow. Among electric car brands owned in Germany, Volkswagen was far ahead of others, with almost 237,000 vehicles registered thus far in 2024.

The spark

Around 55 percent of consumers could not imagine buying an electric car, based on a survey conducted in 2023. However, electric vehicles are not limited to passenger cars, they can also function as public transportation, i.e. a bus can also be powered by electricity. There is still some work to do in terms of EVs becoming more widespread among the population, though if production, price, infrastructure and demand were all in accord with each other, the appeal is there. The EU has ambitious plans to have only zero-emission vehicles sold by 2035, which is an integral part of wider sustainability goals in battery production and the transition to renewable energy.