Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Germany’s 2025 Car Market Inches Higher as EV Sales Surge, BYD Soars and Tesla Slumps

KBA figures point to a decisive shift to electric cars that will test German brands’ competitiveness in 2026.

Overview

  • Germany registered about 2.86–2.9 million new cars in 2025, up 1.4% year over year, with December up 9.7% from a year earlier.
  • Battery-electric cars rose 43.2% to 545,142 for a 19.1% share, with hybrids up 19.0% and plug-in hybrids up 62.3% to a 10.9% share.
  • Gasoline registrations fell 21.6% to 777,641 and diesels dropped 18.3% to 395,022, as average new-car CO2 emissions declined 11.7% to 105.8 g/km.
  • Volkswagen led with a 19.6% share and the Golf was the top model at 85,023; BYD jumped 706% to 23,306 as Tesla fell 48.4% to roughly a 0.7% share.
  • Industry commentary highlights intensified cost-cutting and strategic resets by German automakers heading into a tougher 2026 competitive landscape.