Germany: BEV Registrations Surge by 54% in April 2025

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations in Germany continued their upward trajectory in April 2025, according to the latest data from the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA). A total of 45,535 new BEVs were registered, marking a 53.5% increase compared to April 2024 and bringing the market share of BEVs to 18.8%, up from 16.8% in March.

While the overall new passenger car market remained flat—down just 0.2% year-on-year to 242,728 units—electrified vehicles accounted for nearly one-third of new registrations, underscoring the growing role of alternative powertrains in Germany’s transition to clean mobility.

Strong Growth in Electric and Plug-in Hybrid Segments

• BEV registrations: 45,535 units, +53.5% YoY
• BEV market share: 18.8% (up from 13.3% in April 2024)
• PHEV registrations: 24,317 units, +60.7% YoY, 10% market share

The BEV total makes April 2025 the strongest month for electric car registrations since the end of the Umweltbonus in December 2023, a sign that market demand is stabilizing even in the absence of consumer purchase incentives.

The continued surge in plug-in vehicles is critical for Germany’s climate targets. With hybrids also growing (+12.2%) and petrol (-26.4%) and diesel (-18.7%) vehicles declining sharply, the country’s average CO₂ emissions from newly registered vehicles fell by 12.5% year-on-year to 109.3 g/km.

BEV Momentum Despite Brand-Specific Challenges

Despite the overall strength of the BEV segment, some dedicated electric brands struggled in April:

• Tesla registrations: 885 units, -45.9% YoY
• Smart registrations: 270 units, -82.4% YoY

These declines are partly explained by model transitions (e.g. the phased-out Smart EQ Fortwo and the ongoing ramp-up of Tesla’s Model Y Juniper version), but also highlight increased competition from both domestic and international OEMs offering more affordable BEV options.

Notably, BEVs overtook diesel vehicles in registrations for the second consecutive month, while petrol cars saw their lowest share in years at 27.5%.

Outlook

April’s performance signals a strong recovery for electric vehicle adoption in Germany, despite the end of direct subsidies for private customers in late 2023 and proposals from the European Commission to relax short-term fleet CO₂ compliance targets. The persistent growth in BEV and PHEV sales demonstrates that market fundamentals—improved model range, rising fuel savings, and growing consumer awareness—are beginning to take precedence.

However, the average fleet emissions still exceed EU targets, and further electrification will be essential to close this gap. Industry analysts will be closely watching how the market evolves once the KBA releases model-level registration data, expected later in May.

• Source:KBA

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.