In March, new passenger car registrations in Germany decreased by 6.2% year-over-year to 217,388. During the first three months of the year, the number of registrations amounted to 694,785, up 4.2% compared to a year ago.

Meanwhile, plug-in electric car sales continue to struggle following the end of a tax incentive for all-electric cars in 2023. During the past seven months, only one month had a year-over-year increase in rechargeable car registrations.

Growth in 2024 will be challenging

In 2023, almost 700,000 new plug-in cars were registered in Germany, down 16% compared to 2022. The Q1 2024 is also in the red and it seems that achieving growth this year will be challenging.

In March, the total new plug-in electric car registrations amounted to 47,400, down 22% year-over-year. The market share decreased to 18.0%, compared to 21.6% a year ago.

Battery-electric car registrations decreased by 29% year-over-year to 31,384, so its market share shrunk to 11.9%, compared to 15.7% a year ago. Plug-in hybrid car registrations noted a slight decrease of almost 5% year-over-year to 16,016.

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

• BEVs: 31,384 (down 29%) and 11.9% market share
• PHEVs: 16,016 (down 5%) and 6.1% market share
• Total: 47,400 (down 22%) and 18% market share

In Q1, new passenger plug-in electric car registrations amounted to 126,322 (down 5% year-over-year), which is about 18.2% of the total volume. A year ago, rechargeable cars had almost 20% of the market.

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

• BEVs: 81,337 (down 14%) and 11.7% market share
• PHEVs: 44,985 (up 20%) and 6.5% market share
• Total: 126,322 (down 5%) and 18.2% market share

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

Last month, three German brands—Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen—noted the highest number of new passenger plug-in car registrations in Germany. Interestingly, two premium brands (Mercedes-Benz and BMW) were at the top, noticeably ahead of the more mainstream Volkswagen.

In terms of all-electric cars, this time Volkswagen sold the highest number of EVs (4,349), outpacing Tesla (3,878).

Plug-in car registrations by brands (at least 1,000) last month:

• Mercedes-Benz: 6,844 – 3,123 BEVs and 3,721 PHEVs
• BMW: 5,124 – 3,238 BEVs and 1,886 PHEVs
• Volkswagen: 4,670 – 4,349 BEVs and 321 PHEVs
• Tesla: 3,878 BEVs
• Audi: 3,476 – 1,984 BEVs and 1,492 PHEVs
• Volvo: 3,340 – 1,261 BEVs and 2,079 PHEVs
• Seat: 2,560 – 1,243 BEVs and 1,317 PHEVs
• Opel: 2,188 – 1,442 BEVs and 746 PHEVs
• Hyundai: 1,885 – 1,619 BEVs and 266 PHEVs
• Kia: 1,564 – 1,072 BEVs and 492 PHEVs
• smart: 1,497 BEVs
• Skoda: 1,288 – 1,205 BEVs and 83 PHEVs
• Ford: 1,279 – 475 BEVs and 804 PHEVs

After the first three months of the year, Mercedes-Benz remains at the top for plug-ins, while Tesla is far ahead of the other brands in the all-electric car segment (despite a 37% decrease year-over-year).

Plug-in car registrations by brands year-to-date (at least 3,000):

• Mercedes-Benz: 18,556 – 7,720 BEVs and 10,836 PHEVs
• Tesla: 13,068 BEVs
• BMW: 13,042 – 7,959 BEVs and 5,083 PHEVs
• Volkswagen: 9,762 – 8,637 BEVs and 1,125 PHEVs
• Audi: 9,634 – 5,861 BEVs and 3,773 PHEVs
• Volvo: 8,140 – 3,369 BEVs and 4,771 PHEVs
• Seat: 6,029 – 2,414 BEVs and 3,615 PHEVs
• Hyundai: 4,682 – 3,777 BEVs and 905 PHEVs
• Opel: 4,597 – 2,444 BEVs and 2,153 PHEVs
• Skoda: 4,286 – 3,922 BEVs and 364 PHEVs
• Kia: 4,140 – 2,825 BEVs and 1,315 PHEVs
• smart: 3,882 BEVs
• Ford: 3,736 – 759 BEVs and 2,977 PHEVs
• Porsche: 3,543 – 663 BEVs and 2,880 PHEVs
• MG Roewe: 3,057 – 3,055 BEVs and 2 PHEVs

The Tesla Model Y remains the best-selling all-electric car model in Germany, with 11,045 new registrations year-to-date (including 3,244 in March). 

However, next we can see three closely related model families—Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 (4,226), Skoda Enyaq iV (3,922) and Audi Q4 e-tron (3,428)—which outpaces the Model Y, when counted together (11,576).

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

• Tesla Model Y – 11,045 (down 30%)
• Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 – 4,226 (down 38%)
• Skoda Enyaq iV – 3,922 (up 43%)
• Audi Q4 e-tron – 3,428 (down 5%)