Electric Car Registrations Up by 48% in Germany in First Half of 2026

Sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rose significantly in Germany in the first half of the year, according to figures published on Friday, largely thanks to an electric vehicle subsidy.

More than 368,000 electric cars were newly registered in the first six months of 2026, the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) said.

This represented a 48% increase compared with the same period last year. Across all new registrations, the share of BEVs stood at 28.4% in June alone - 10 percentage points higher than in the same month last year.

However, BEV sales had slumped significantly last year, meaning the growth rates are based on a particularly low baseline.  Transport expert Constantin Gall from the consultancy firm EY said he does not believe the rise is sustainable. “It is primarily the electric car subsidy that is driving additional new car purchases and boosting the market,” he said. “Given tight public finances, an extension of the subsidy is unlikely.”  Without government support, the market would collapse, he said.

Sales by US electric car manufacturer Tesla have also recovered. In the first half of the year, the company sold just under 29,000 of its cars in Germany, an increase of 224.6% compared with the same period last year.  Its Chinese rival BYD sold more than 26,000 new cars in Germany during the same period, an increase of around 315% compared with the first half of 2025.

Across all types of engine, the new car market recovered slightly in the first half of the year. A total of around 1.48 million new passenger cars were registered, representing a 5.8% increase compared with the same period last year.