In July, 236,400 new passenger cars were registered in Germany. This is 25 percent fewer than in the same month of the previous year. In the first seven months of this year, the volume of new registrations rose by 7 percent to 1.63 million units. This is the second-lowest market level since 1991, following last year’s pandemic-related slump. International manufacturers achieved a market share of just over 39 percent in July.
Due to an additional working day and the already effective reduction in value-added tax, July 2020 was particularly strong in terms of registrations. However, Reinhard Zirpel, President of the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK) emphasized: “Even though we are dealing with a strong month of the previous year – the minus in July 2021 was significantly higher than expected. This is a damper on the recovery of the passenger car market in the current year. However, we are recording high order backlogs. This indicates that the market is not realizing its true potential due to ongoing supply chain challenges.”
One in four new cars had an electric powertrain in July, up to 24 percent from 9 percent in the same month last year. According to figures from the Federal Motor Transport Authority, some 25,500 new passenger cars were registered with battery-electric drive systems (up 52 percent). In addition, around 30,150 new plug-in hybrids (up 58 percent) hit the roads. The share of deliveries of new cars with diesel engines fell to 20 percent in July. (same month last year: 28 percent).
Private new registrations fell by 36 percent in July to 82,500 units. Cumulatively, the private passenger car market thus remains 3 percent down on the previous year after seven months and continues to lag well behind the overall market trend.
As in previous months, the commercial vehicle market was in better shape than the passenger car market. In July, it declined by only 9 percent to 28,800 units. At over 214,000 units, the commercial vehicle market was up 16 percent after seven months, above the long-term average level.
| July | January – July | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +/- (%) | Share of total car market (%) |
+/- (%) | |||
| Passenger car | 236,400 | -25 | 100 | 1,627,300 | 7 |
| – VDIK-brands | 92,400 | -26 | 39 | 638,800 | 5 |
| – german brands | 141,400 | -25 | 60 | 962,900 | 7 |
| – other brands | 2,600 | 14 | 1 | 25,600 | 74 |
| Electric vehicles (total) | 55,650 | 55 | 24 | 367,900 | 184 |
| – purely battery-powered | 25,500 | 52 | 174,200 | 185 | |
| – plug-in-hybrids | 30,150 | 58 | 193,700 | 182 | |
| Commercial vehicle | 28.800 | 59 | – | 120,300 | 15 |
Source: KBA, VDIK
