In August, the market for alternative drive systems (pure electric, plug-in and non-plug-in hybrids, and gas-powered vehicles) grew by 26.1 percent to 122,742 units, with international brands accounting for around 42.2 percent. This is according to an analysis of figures from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) by the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK). The share of new registrations with alternative drive systems in the overall market rose to 59.2 percent in August, compared to 49.3 percent in August 2024. Since the beginning of the year, almost 1.1 million passenger cars with alternative drive systems have been newly registered, around 25.0 percent more than in the same period last year.
As in previous months, new registrations of purely battery-electric passenger cars (BEVs) rose significantly in August, by 45.7 percent to 39,367 units. The share of BEVs in total new passenger car registrations thus reached 19.0 percent. International manufacturers saw a 51.9 percent increase in BEV registrations to 15,014 vehicles. This brings the BEV market share of international manufacturers since the beginning of the year to 39.3 percent, which is 2.1 percentage points more than in 2024. The total market share of BEV passenger cars has been 18.0 percent since January 2025. This is still not enough to meet the CO2 fleet limits.
“Framework conditions such as public charging infrastructure and electricity prices still do not meet customer requirements. That is why we are lagging significantly behind the CO2 targets with a BEV share of 18 percent. At least EU Commission President von der Leyen recognizes the current challenges facing the automotive industry. During the Strategic Dialogue, she stated that there can be no “business as usual.” However, no concrete results have followed so far. At the next summit in December, a concept for adjusting CO2 fleet regulations must finally be put on the table. It is high time to end the uncertainty in the automotive industry and among its customers,” said VDIK President Imelda Labbé
New registrations of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) also recorded an increase in August. 23,973 new PHEVs rolled onto the roads, 76.7 percent more than in the same month last year. The share of all new passenger car registrations rose to 11.6 percent, by far the highest figure since the end of the PHEV purchase subsidy at the end of 2022. The market share of international vehicle manufacturers in plug-in hybrids rose by 1.8 percentage points to 35.0 percent in August.
Together, electric vehicles (BEVs, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles) accounted for a market share of 30.6 percent in August, with 63,342 new registrations. This represents an increase of 56.0 percent compared to the same month last year. Since the beginning of the year, the electric market has grown by 46.4 percent.
Hybrid vehicles without plugs saw an increase of 5.1 percent in August. 58,605 new registrations correspond to a share of 28.3 percent of new passenger car registrations. The market share of international vehicle manufacturers for hybrids was 47.0 percent in August 2025.
In addition, 795 new liquefied petroleum gas passenger cars (-16.6 percent) rolled onto the roads in August. Since the beginning of the year, new registrations of liquefied petroleum gas passenger cars have totaled 8,112 units (-17.6 percent).
New registrations of combustion engine passenger cars reached 84,472 units in August, of which 57,253 were gasoline-powered (-18.2 percent) and 27,219 were diesel-powered (-9.2 percent). Gasoline engines accounted for 27.6 percent of passenger car registrations, while diesel engines accounted for 13.1 percent.
| August | January-August | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +/- (%) |
Share of total car market (%) |
Share of international brands (%) |
+/- (%) |
Share of total car market (%) |
Share of international brands (%) |
|||
| BEV | 39.367 | 45,7 | 19,0 | 38,1 | 336.707 | 39,2 | 18,0 | 39,3 |
| PHEV | 23.973 | 76,7 | 11,6 | 35,0 | 190.075 | 61,2 | 10,1 | 40,2 |
| FCEV | 2 | -88,2 | 0,0 | 100,0 | 46 | -48,9 | 0,0 | 100,0 |
| Elektric Vehicles (total) | 63.342 | 56,0 | 30,6 | 37,0 | 526.828 | 46,4 | 28,1 | 39,6 |
| HEV including: |
58.605 | 5,1 | 28,3 | 47,0 | 533.743 | 10,1 | 28,5 | 47,1 |
| full-hybrid | 11.053 | 2,9 | 5,3 | 95,7 | 85.912 | 5,7 | 4,6 | 93,5 |
| mild-hybrid | 47.552 | 5,6 | 22,9 | 35,7 | 447.831 | 11,0 | 23,9 | 38,2 |
| CNG | 0 | -100,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 3 | -97,8 | 0,0 | 66,7 |
| LPG | 795 | -16,6 | 0,4 | 99,4 | 8.112 | -17,6 | 0,4 | 98,5 |
| Alternative Drivetrains (total) |
122.742 | 26,1 | 59,2 | 42,2 | 1.068.687 | 25,0 | 57,0 | 43,8 |
| Petrol | 57.253 | -18,2 | 27,6 | 41,5 | 526.904 | -25,2 | 28,1 | 40,9 |
| Diesel | 27.219 | -9,2 | 13,1 | 279.130 | -19,9 | 14,9 | ||
| Passenger car (total) | 207.229 | 5,0 | 41,9 | 1.874.820 | -1,7 | 42,6 | ||
Glossar
Elektrofahrzeuge: BEV, PHEV und FCEV
BEV, Batterieelektrisches Fahrzeug, engl: Battery Electric Vehicle
PHEV, Plug-In-Hybrid, engl: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
FCEV, Brennstoffzellenfahrzeug / Wasserstofffahrzeug, engl.: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
HEV, Hybride ohne Stecker bzw. nicht aufladbar, engl.: Hybrid Electric Vehicle
CNG, Gasförmiges Erdgas, engl: Compressed Natural Gas
LPG, Flüssiggas bzw. Autogas, engl: Liquified Petroleum Gas
Als Mild-Hybride werden Modelle mit einer maximalen Leistung des E-Motors von 20 KW eingestuft, bei Voll-Hybriden beträgt die maximale Leistung des E-Motors mehr als 20 KW.
