Overview
- SUVs accounted for about 33% of new car registrations in Germany in the first eight months of 2025, up from 8.3% in 2013 and 21.1% in 2019.
- Nearly half of new electric cars registered this year (49.5%) are SUVs, and automakers underscored the trend with BMW and Mercedes showcasing new electric SUVs at the IAA.
- The YouGov poll for dpa found 31% view SUVs positively and 31% negatively, with 55% saying they could imagine higher parking fees under certain conditions.
- Support extends to some owners: 41% of SUV drivers favor surcharges in principle, though only 5% back Paris‑style increases where heavy cars pay about €18 an hour.
- Policy experiments are advancing as Zurich voters approved a weight‑based resident parking fee from 2027, and German cities such as Koblenz and Cologne have begun applying limited surcharges.