New registrations of cars and EVs
Breakthrough for e-mobility in Germany
German automobile manufacturers offer over 70 different electric models across all key segments. In 2020 this wide selection led to a breakthrough for electromobility in Germany.
German automobile manufacturers offer over 70 different electric models across all key segments. In 2020 this wide selection led to a breakthrough for electromobility in Germany.
Around one in seven new cars electric in 2020
For the German passenger car market, 2020 marked an epochal turning point. Driven by climate targets, the gradual shift from internal combustion to electric drive, which is CO2-neutral when charged with renewable electricity, has gained momentum. With 395,000 EVs, 13.5% of all new registrations were for electrically powered vehicles. Growth was particularly rapid for all-electric passenger cars (BEV, +207%) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV, +342%). In addition to the 95 g fleet limit for new cars applicable in the EU in 2020/2021, this was also due to the increased environmental incentive. A total of over 600,000 applications for the environmental bonus have already been received by the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control. BEVs accounted for 55% of these applications.
In 2020, the most important group of owners in the electric car market, at 38%, was private owners; the commercial sector lagged behind at 36%. In addition to the environmental bonus, a further incentive is the halving of taxation on the private use of company cars, which is also helping EVs to achieve a breakthrough in the commercial sector.
When looking at the segment mix, it is striking that although SUVs and off-road vehicles rank first with 30%, their share is higher in the overall market at 32%. In addition, 61% of electric cars are in lower segments up to and including the mid-size segment, which comprise just under 54% of the overall market. This means that a more than average percentage of EVs are compact vehicles.
German manufacturers were able to further expand their strong position on the domestic electric passenger car market in 2020. They now offer over 70 different models across all key segments. In 2020 as a whole, German brands had a market share of 67%, compared with 57% in the previous year. In the ranking of electric models most often registered, German brands account for seven of the top ten models.
In 2018, the Government set a target of one million electric cars on German roads by 2022. As of January 1, 2021, their number already stood at 589,741. Given the current market dynamics, with electric cars accounting for more than one-fifth of new registrations, this ambitious target is expected to be reached as early as 2021. German manufacturers are contributing significantly to achieving this goal.
