Around 140,000 fewer fully electric vehicles were registered in Germany in 2024 than the previous year, according to Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), the country’s federal motor transport authority.
In 2024, 380,609 new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered in Germany, representing 13.5% of the total market, while just 36% of these were private registrations, compared to 43% the previous year.
Uncertainties regarding range and charging infrastructure continue to cause buyers to delay purchases or opt for combustion engine vehicles, ADAC, the German automobile club noted, calling for legislators, charging providers and manufacturers to work together to increase the attractiveness of e-mobility.
Charging infrastructure
“The range of EV models is growing and the expansion of the charging infrastructure is also progressing,” commented ADAC’s Stefan Gerwens.
“In 2024, the number of charging points will have increased by over 20%, and in the case of fast chargers by almost 40%. However, we still see major differences and ambiguities in terms of prices.”
Read more: What European country has the most zero-emission car registrations?
Used EV market
At the same time, the used EV market shows signs of optimism. In 2023, electric cars accounted for 1.6% of all ownership transfers, rising to 2.7% in 2024 and reaching 3.4% in December 2024 alone.
“The supply of used electric cars is increasing and buyers’ skepticism seems to be waning,” Gerwens added. “From this perspective, the high commercial share of new electric car registrations can also be viewed positively – most of the vehicles used for business purposes come back onto the market as cheaper used vehicles after two or three years.”
ADAC predicts an uptick in EV registrations in 2025, driven by manufacturers facing stricter CO2 fleet limits, while decisions made by the next federal government, following the forthcoming elections in February, will also be key to the development of the sustainable transport sector. Read more here.
