The German electric car market presented a mixed picture in the first half of 2026: While overall registration figures rose sharply, industry leader VW, of all companies, is struggling. This is evident from the latest half-year statistics released by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA).
Nearly two-thirds of all new cars with alternative drive systems
From January through June 2026, a total of 1,484,393 new passenger cars were registered in Germany. About 966,085 of these—or 65.1 percent—had alternative drive systems, representing a 21.7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. All-electric cars are in particularly high demand: 368,006 new BEV registrations correspond to a market share of 24.8 percent and a whopping 48.0 percent increase. We had previously reported on electric cars in June 2026, which posted similarly strong monthly figures.
Skoda Ousts Tesla from the Top Spot
In the brand rankings, one shift in particular is causing a stir: Among imported brands, Skoda snatches first place with 36,654 new BEV registrations, relegating Tesla (28,857 units) to second place. The Czech manufacturer, whose Elroq is a major contributor to this success, is thus benefiting significantly more from the current boom than its U.S. competitor. Seat follows in third place with 17,432 registrations.
Among German manufacturers, VW continues to lead the list with 49,495 new BEV registrations, but is one of the few major brands to suffer a 5.6 percent decline—in the midst of the strongest half-year for electric cars in recent years. BMW (30,943 units) and Mercedes (26,133 units) follow in second and third place among German manufacturers.
Losers: Chinese Brands Plunge
Some Chinese manufacturers fared significantly worse: GWM recorded a 98.7 percent drop with just 16 new BEV registrations, while NIO saw an 87.6 percent decline with 15 vehicles. The Turkish brand Togg appears in the KBA statistics for the first time with 197 new registrations, while Mazda recorded 2,320 BEV registrations. Other alternative powertrains, such as hydrogen, remain a niche market—in June, only a single Toyota Mirai was newly registered.
Images: Skoda
