Over 300,000 new e-cars in the first half-year

In the first half of 2021, 312,498 new electric vehicles hit the roads in Germany. The number more than tripled compared to the same period last year (plus 233 percent). Among them were 148,716 battery-powered electric cars (up 236 percent) and 163,571 plug-in hybrids (up 230 percent). The share of the total market was 22 percent. In June, 64,762 electric vehicles were newly registered, an increase of 243 percent.

Reinhard Zirpel, President of the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK), emphasised: “The market for electric vehicles clearly remains on a growth course. Electric cars have made the breakthrough, their share of the total market has reached a high level of over 22 percent. In the second half of the year, we expect another 400,000 new electric vehicles in Germany.”

The VDIK regularly updates the list of electric vehicles from international manufacturers. The VDIK member companies currently offer around 120 electric models (including passenger cars and commercial vehicles) that customers can order in Germany. The VDIK Electric Vehicle List can be accessed here.

The demand for vehicles with alternative drives as a whole also increased in the first six months. 539,542 new electric cars, hybrids with and without plugs, mild hybrids and gas passenger cars were registered. That is an increase of 159 percent. In June, 111,161 new vehicles with alternative drive systems were registered (plus 181 percent). It should be noted that hybrids include a growing number of mild hybrids that cannot drive fully electric. A distinction between full and mild hybrids is not yet statistically possible.

In the overall passenger car market, the weighting continues to shift towards alternative drives. In the first six months, they accounted for 38.8 percent of the total market. Petrol engines accounted for 38.6 percent. Less than every fourth new car is a conventional diesel (22.6 percent).