Alternative drives up 69 percent in August
New registrations of passenger cars with alternative drives increased by 69.3 percent in August compared to the same month last year. 158,146 vehicles were registered by the Federal Motor Transport Authority. In the first eight months of this year, 23.9 percent more new electric cars, hybrids with and without plugs, mild hybrids and gas-powered passenger cars were thus registered than in the same period last year, a total of 907,133 units. Alternative drive systems thus accounted for 47.4 percent of the total market between January and August.
The strongest growth among alternative drive systems in August was recorded by battery electric vehicles (BEVs). 86,649 new BEVs hit the roads, an increase of 170.7 percent year-on-year. In August, subsidies for commercially registered electric cars ended with the environmental bonus, which led to a veritable final spurt. Plug-in hybrids recorded a slump of 41.1 percent with 14,552 new registrations.
In the first eight months of 2023, 355,575 battery-electric passenger cars were newly registered (up 55.9 percent year-on-year). In addition, 107,962 plug-in hybrids were newly registered (down 42.4 percent).
Among the alternative drive systems, hybrids without plugs also grew comparatively strongly in August, by 59 percent to 55,844 units. Among the hybrids, 7,706 were full hybrids, 94 percent of which came from VDIK brands.
In addition, 9,159 passenger cars powered by liquid gas were newly registered in the first eight months (minus 9.6 percent), as well as 249 fuel cell passenger cars.
The VDIK regularly updates the list of electric vehicles from international manufacturers. The VDIK member companies currently offer more than 200 electric models (passenger cars and commercial vehicles) that customers can order in Germany. The VDIK electric list can be accessed here.
In the overall passenger car market, alternative drive systems achieved a share of 47.4 percent since the beginning of the year. Gasoline engines achieved a market share of 35.1 percent, while diesel was only at 17.5 percent.
| August | January – August | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +/- (%) | +/- (%) | Share of total car market |
Market share VDIK (%) |
||||
| BEV | 86,649 | 170,7 | 355,575 | 55,9 | 19 | 40 | |
| PHEV | 14,552 | -41,1 | 107,962 | -42,4 | 6 | 34 | |
| FCEV | 51 | -83,8 | 249 | -59,0 | 0 | 90 | |
| Electric Vehicles (total) | 101,252 | 77,5 | 463,786 | 11,5 | 24 | 38 | |
| HEV including: |
55,844 | 59,0 | 433,058 | 42,2 | 23 | 42 | |
| full hybrid | 7,706 | 60,8 | 62,026 | 32,2 | 3 | 94 | |
| mild hybrid | 48,138 | 58,7 | 371,032 | 44,0 | 19 | 34 | |
| CNG | 130 | -18,8 | 1,130 | -14,7 | 0 | 62 | |
| LPG | 920 | -15,4 | 9,159 | -9,6 | 0 | 98 | |
| Alternative Drivetrains (total) | 158,146 | 69,3 | 907,133 | 23,9 | 47 | 41 | |
| Petrol | 75,598 | 8,9 | 671,435 | 14,3 | 35 | 39 | |
| Diesel | 39,688 | 9,2 | 334,957 | 3,5 | 18 | 32 | |
| for information: | |||||||
| Passenger car (total) | 273,417 | 37,3 | 1,913,564 | 16,5 | 39 | ||
Electric vehicles: BEV, PHEV und FCEV
BEV, Batterieelektrisches Fahrzeug, engl: Battery Electric Vehicle
PHEV, Plug-In-Hybrid, engl: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
FCEV, Brennstoffzellenfahrzeug / Wasserstofffahrzeug, engl.: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
Hybride, Hybrid ohne Stecker bzw. nicht aufladbar, engl.: Hybrid Electric Vehicle
CNG, Gasförmiges Erdgas, engl: Compressed Natural Gas
LPG, Flüssiggas bzw. Autogas, engl: Liquified Petroleum Gas
Models with a maximum e-motor output of 20 KW are classified as mild hybrids, while full hybrids have a maximum e-motor output of more than 20 KW.