Domestic passenger car production amounted to 305,900 units in January. Compared to the strong figure for the same month last year, this represents a decline of 9%. It's important to note that there was one fewer working day last month compared to the previous year, which had a corresponding impact on production. Production remains significantly below pre-crisis levels: January 2026 production was 18% lower than the figure for the pre-crisis year of 2019.

Furthermore, detailed production data for the entire year of 2025 are now available. They show that Germany produced more electric cars last year than ever before: 1.67mn electric passenger cars were manufactured domestically, 23% more than in the previous year, 2024. This once again made Germany the second most important electric vehicle production location worldwide, behind China and ahead of the USA. The share of electric car production in total domestic passenger car production also reached a new record high: four out of ten passenger cars manufactured in Germany (40%) are electrically powered. This growth was driven in particular by plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), whose production increased by 54% to 0.45mn units. At the same time, it is important to note that most electric passenger cars produced in Germany are purely battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Their production was expanded by 15% to 1.22mn vehicles in 2025. For the current year, the VDA expects a further increase in domestic electric passenger car production of 6% to 1.76mn units.

VDA President Hildegard Müller: "Domestic production of electric cars is at a record level, which impressively and clearly demonstrates that the German automotive industry is resolutely forging ahead with e-mobility and climate-neutral mobility. Now it is crucial that policymakers further improve the framework conditions so that measures like the new e-mobility subsidies don't become short-lived successes. In particular, we need more charging options for electric cars and commercial vehicles, a consistent expansion of the electricity grid, cheaper charging electricity, and improved access to raw materials critical to the transformation. Furthermore, the sustainable ramp-up of e-mobility in Germany requires internationally competitive business conditions for companies."

New e-car registrations show strong growth

Exports in January remained at 225,300 units, 8% below the previous year's figure. This still leaves them 22% below the pre-crisis level of 2019.

Order intake in January presented a mixed picture. Domestic orders increased by 4% compared to the same month last year. In contrast, foreign orders were 7% lower than the previous year. Overall, combining domestic and foreign orders, 5% fewer orders were registered in January of this year than in the same month last year.

In January 2026, fewer new passenger car registrations were recorded on the German market than in the same month of the previous year. Compared to January 2025, the number of new passenger car registrations fell by 7% to approximately 194,000 units. Here, too, the fact that there was one fewer working day also affected the registration figures. The German passenger car market thus remains significantly below the 2019 level: In January 2026, 71,700 fewer vehicles were newly registered than in January of the last pre-pandemic year. This corresponds to a decline of 27%.

The German electric car market continued its growth trajectory: In January, new registrations of electric vehicles (BEVs, PHEVs, and FCEVs) rose by 23% year-on-year to 64,500 units. The share of electric vehicles in new registrations thus reached 33.2% last month, meaning that every third new registration was an electric car. Specifically, BEV registrations increased by 24% to 42,700 units. New PHEV registrations saw similar growth (+23%), reaching 21,800 vehicles.