In October, the market for alternative drive systems (pure electric, plug-in and non-plug-in hybrids, and gas-powered vehicles) grew by 27.5 percent to 154,955 units, with international brands accounting for around 40.3 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 61.9 percent in October, compared to 52.4 percent in October 2024. In the first ten months of 2025, almost 1.37 million passenger cars with alternative drive systems were newly registered, around 25.8 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 October, by 47.7 percent to 52,425 units. The share of BEVs in total new passenger car registrations thus reached a new high of 21.0 percent. International manufacturers saw BEV registrations increase by 77.0 percent to 21,468 vehicles. This brings the BEV market share of international manufacturers since the beginning of the year to 39.5 percent, which is 3.1 percentage points more than in 2024. The total market share of BEV passenger cars has been 18.4 percent since January 2025, which is still not enough to meet the CO2 fleet limits.
VDIK President Imelda Labbé: “The future is electric – but only where infrastructure and electricity prices make it possible for customers. That is why reliable electricity prices for charging and consistent expansion of the charging infrastructure are particularly important. Subsidies in the form of a charging card or charging credit would be much better for residual values than a purchase premium. This is because the residual values of vehicles and the used car market are already burdened by high discounts offered by manufacturers and dealers to avoid impending CO2 penalties. The announced measures to promote used electric cars would therefore also be a sensible way to support the ramp-up of e-mobility.”
New registrations of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) also recorded an even more significant increase in October. 30,946 new PHEVs hit the roads, 60.0 percent more than in the same month last year. The share of all new passenger car registrations rose to 12.4 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 the plug-in hybrid segment was 36.7 percent in October. After ten months, the PHEV market has a market share of 10.5 percent in the current year, which is 4.1 percentage points higher than in the same period last year.
Together, electric vehicles (BEVs, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles) accounted for a market share of 33.3 percent in October, with 83,371 new registrations. This represents an increase of 52.0 percent compared to the same month last year. Since the beginning of the year, the electric market has grown by 47.2 percent, driven primarily by the development of PHEVs.
Hybrid vehicles without plugs saw an increase of 7.6 percent in October. 70,652 new registrations correspond to a share of 28.2 percent of new passenger car registrations. The market share of international vehicle manufacturers in the hybrid segment was 40.7 percent in October 2025.
In addition, 932 new LPG cars (-10.3 percent) rolled onto the roads in October. Since the beginning of the year, new registrations of LPG cars have totaled 9,935 units (-14.8 percent).
New registrations of pure combustion engine cars reached 95,168 units in October, of which 64,706 were gasoline-powered (-12.9 percent) and 30,462 were diesel-powered (-15.8 percent). Gasoline engines accounted for 25.9 percent of passenger car registrations, while diesel engines accounted for 12.2 percent.
| October | January-October | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +/- (%) | Share of total car market (%) | Share of international brands (%) | +/- (%) | Share of total car market (%) | Share of international brands (%) | |||
| BEV | 52.425 | 47,7 | 21,0 | 40,9 | 434.627 | 39,4 | 18,4 | 39,5 |
| PHEV | 30.946 | 60,0 | 12,4 | 36,7 | 248.706 | 63,4 | 10,5 | 39,5 |
| FCEV | 0 | -100,0 | 0,0 | – | 47 | -67,1 | 0,0 | 100,0 |
| Electric Vehicles (total) | 83.371 | 52,0 | 33,3 | 39,4 | 683.380 | 47,2 | 29,0 | 39,5 |
| HEV including: | 70.652 | 7,6 | 28,2 | 40,7 | 673.922 | 10,3 | 28,6 | 46,3 |
| full-hybrid | 12.165 | -1,1 | 4,9 | 95,2 | 111.483 | 6,9 | 4,7 | 94,1 |
| mild-hybrid | 58.487 | 9,6 | 23,4 | 29,4 | 562.439 | 11,0 | 23,8 | 36,8 |
| CNG | 0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | – | 3 | -97,8 | 0,0 | 66,7 |
| LPG | 932 | -10,3 | 0,4 | 99,1 | 9.935 | -14,8 | 0,4 | 98,6 |
| Alternative Drives (total) | 154.955 | 27,5 | 61,9 | 40,3 | 1.367.241 | 25,8 | 57,9 | 43,3 |
| Petrol | 64.706 | -12,9 | 25,9 | 42,9 | 654.657 | -22,5 | 27,7 | 41,4 |
| Diesel | 30.462 | -15,8 | 12,2 | 338.463 | -18,6 | 14,3 | ||
| Passenger car (total) | 250.133 | 7,8 | 41,3 | 2.360.481 | 0,5 | 42,5 | ||
Electric vehicles: 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
Hybride, Hybrid ohne Stecker bzw. nicht aufladbar, engl.: Hybrid Electric Vehicle
CNG, Gasförmiges Erdgas, engl: Compressed Natural Gas
LPG, Flüssiggas bzw. Autogas, engl: Liquified Petroleum Gas
Models with a maximum e-motor output of 20 KW are classified as mild hybrids, while full hybrids have a maximum e-motor output of more than 20 KW.
