The share of electric cars is 22.8% in Germany – the Volkswagen Group dominates the country

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November saw the share of additional EVs at 22.8% in Germany, down from 25.7% year-on-year. Electric vehicle (BEV) sales fell year-over-year, despite a higher baseline, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales rose 14%. Total vehicle volume in November was 244,544 units, almost flat year-on-year. The best-selling battery electric vehicle in November was the Skoda ENIAC again, for the third month in a row.

November sales saw a combined EV share of 22.8% in Germany, with a share of fully electric vehicles (BEVs) at 14.4%, and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) at 8.4%. This compares to annual figures of 25.7% combined, 18.3% for electric vehicles and 7.4% for hybrid electric vehicles.

The annual baseline for BEV sales (November 2023) was higher than usual due to progress ahead of the looming scheduled reduction in the BEV purchase incentive from January 1, 2024. As we now know, the incentive was not actually reduced from just the first of January, but instead was canceled without any notice, in mid-December 2023. This fundamental decline makes the year-on-year comparison look particularly weak.

However – even putting the year-on-year comparison aside – EV sales and market share will typically increase slightly as we approach the end of the year, when manufacturers will look to improve their fleet vehicles’ average emissions before the end-of-December deadline. This year, however, there is no tightening of emissions requirements, so there is no such pressure from car brands – if anything, they are eager to slow down deliveries of new electric cars and pull them back to 2025, when stricter emissions rules come into effect. .

Meanwhile, the demand side remains weighed down by a weak consumer economy, and battery electric vehicles remain overpriced compared to other engines. The stricter emissions rules for 2025 are the main reason why legacy European brands are only now – at the end of 2024 – starting to launch their simple and affordable BEVs, and plan to increase their volume in the next few months, to improve their BEVs. Sales in 2025. This timing is not a coincidence.

On the plus side, there has been a good increase in plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) volumes year-on-year, thanks to the new generation of models that now typically have more than 50 miles of all-electric range. While sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles have also grown, only the share of combustion has declined year-on-year (although it is lower than the share of battery-powered electric vehicles).

A slow but steady decline in diesel sales took its share to 14.9% in November, down from 16.1% year-on-year.

Best selling electric cars

For the third month in a row, the Skoda ENIAC took first place in the electric car model rankings, with 3,066 units sold in November.

In second place was the Volkswagen ID.7 with 2,613 units, and the Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 came in third with 2,394 units.

With the Cupra Born in fourth place, November was another good result in the Volkswagen Group’s home market, and a rare repeat of the same top-four dominance (with the same four models) seen in October.

The Volkswagen Group’s top four finish has only happened once before, in April this year. The Tesla Model Y usually spoils the party by showing up somewhere in the top three, but it was in fifth place in November.

The top 20 overall saw no major surprises, with almost all models close to their recent average volumes, and the only newcomers to the top 20 being the Audi Q6 and Porsche Macan (both of which were largely expected).

October’s new batch of battery electric vehicle models – the Kia EV3, Ford Capri, Citroen e-C3 and Volvo EX90 – saw greater growth in November, with Kia and Ford the strongest, reaching 30th and 51st places respectively.

More BEV models arrived for the first time in November. The largest model – with 103 units – was the new Leapmotor T03, a small, affordable hatchback that has finally arrived in Europe thanks to a partnership between Stellantis and Chinese electric vehicle startup Leapmotor (founded in 2015). For basic specs on the Leapmotor T03, see my roundup of affordable battery electric cars in China from early this year. Pricing starts at €18,900 in Germany, with a 37.3 kWh (total) battery.

Leapmotor did not stop there, as the brand also launched the C10, a mid-size SUV (4,739 mm), which registered a modest 9 initial units. Pricing for the C10 starts at €36,400 for the 66 kWh (usable) battery variant.

The new Skoda Al-Rouq was also launched in November, with 46 units registered. The Elroq is essentially a shortened version of the Enyaq, measuring 4,488mm in length versus the Enyaq’s 4,648mm. It has the same wheelbase, and shares the same doors, front wings and much of the interior, but the rear has been shortened, with less overhang. The entry price for the 52 kWh Skoda Elroq variant (usable) is €33,900 in Germany.

Finally, the BYD Sealion SUV was also launched in November with 50 units. The Sealion is BYD’s new mid-size coupe SUV, measuring 4,830mm in length. For an overview of BYD Sealion, see Norway’s recent report. Pricing for the Sealion starts at €47,990 in Germany, for a well-specified 91.3 kWh ‘entry’ variant.

We’ll be keeping an eye on these newcomers to see how they improve in the coming months.

Let’s now check the three-month ranking:

Thanks to a strong few months, the Volkswagen Group’s brands now occupy the top three positions, with the same three models present in the monthly rankings for November – the Skoda ENIAC, the Volkswagen ID.7 and the Volkswagen ID.4 / ID.5.

There are no big surprises elsewhere in the top 20, except for the progress made by two newcomers. The Porsche Macan achieved great success within a short time of its launch on the market, as it rose to sixteenth place after only 4 months of going on sale. This is particularly impressive given the high price and the fact that the very similar (and equally impressive) Audi Q6 e-tron is available for less.

Moreover, in 19th place, the Ford Explorer also performed well, after only 4 months of strong sales. Let’s see if these two new models will remain in the top 20 in the medium term.

Let us briefly check the manufacturing group classifications:

The Volkswagen Group’s strong domestic leadership is evident, with nearly 45,000 vehicles sold over the past three months, representing 42.8% of the overall battery electric vehicle market in Germany. This is a significant improvement compared to the 33.9% share in the previous three-month period (June to August).

The overall standings of the top six groups have not changed since August, but all the home teams have moved up compared to 3 months ago. BMW, in second place, received an additional share of 1.5%, reaching 15.2%, while Mercedes, in third place, obtained an additional share of 2.3%, reaching 12.3%. Companies such as Tesla, Hyundai Motor Group, and Stellantis lost about 2% of their market share, although they maintained their relative ranking.

Expectations

As mentioned above, one of the main reasons behind the weak share of electric vehicles in Germany is the poor state of the broader economy in the country. The latest year-on-year GDP figures from Q3 2024 were recently recalculated and revised down to negative 0.3% (from the previous estimate of 0.2%).

Headline inflation continued its upward trend, at 2.2% in November, from 2% in October. European Central Bank interest rates remain at 3.4%. The Manufacturing PMI did not improve during November, and remains weak at 43.0 points (revised), flat from October.

As discussed above, we will now have to wait until 2025 to see if the BEV market can get back on a growth path after a miserable 2024 that was plagued by a weak economy, expensive BEVs, and little to no affordable options. At the very least, tougher emissions regulations for 2025 are now forcing manufacturers to offer more affordable models, to increase their volumes, so let’s see if Germany gets back on track.

What are your thoughts on Germany’s prospects for 2025? What models are you looking for? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.