In January 2026, new car registrations in Germany fell by 6.6 percent compared to the same month last year. This corresponds to 193,981 vehicles. This is according to an analysis of figures from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) by the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK). New passenger car registrations by international manufacturers fell by 7.2 percent.
A total of 42,692 purely battery-electric passenger cars (BEVs) were newly registered, representing an increase of 23.8 percent compared to the same month last year. In January 2026, BEVs accounted for 22.0 percent of all new passenger car registrations, around 5.4 percentage points higher than in the same month last year and the third-highest figure since the end of the BEV purchase subsidy at the end of 2023. New registrations of international brands grew at an above-average rate, increasing by an estimated 32.5 percent compared to the same month last year and accounting for around 44.9 percent of the total BEV market.
VDIK President Imelda Labbé: “The passenger car market has had an extremely subdued start to the new year. The disproportionate growth in BEV registrations by international manufacturers in January demonstrates the high level of customer interest in affordable electric vehicles. For sustainable overall market growth in 2026, we need a further increase in BEV orders. To achieve this, customers now need clarity as soon as possible about the terms of the BEV subsidy promised since January.”
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also recorded growth in January 2026 compared to the same month last year. New PHEV registrations rose by 23.0 percent to 21,790 vehicles last month. This corresponds to a market share of 11.2 percent, which is slightly weaker than in previous months. International brands accounted for around 34.5 percent of the total PHEV market.
In total, electric vehicles – i.e., BEVs and PHEVs combined – accounted for 64,482 new passenger car registrations in January, 23.5 percent more than in the same month last year. Their market share was 33.2 percent (January 2025: 25.1 percent).
The number of new commercial vehicle registrations in January was 23,449, 16.3 percent lower than in January of the previous year.
| January | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| +/- (%) | Share of total car market (%) |
||
| Passenger cars | 193.981 | -6,6 | |
| International brands | 82.057 | -7,2 | 42,3 |
| German brands | 109.790 | -6,0 | 56,6 |
| Elektric vehicles (total) | 64.482 | 23,5 | 33,2 |
| purely battery-powered | 42.692 | 23,8 | 22,0 |
| International brands* | 19.157 | 32,5 | 44,9 |
| German brands* | 21.944 | 18,8 | 51,4 |
| plug-in-hybrids | 21.790 | 23,0 | 11,2 |
| International brands* | 7.528 | -4,5 | 34,5 |
| German brands* | 14.188 | 45,1 | 65,1 |
| Commercial vehicles | 23.449 | -16,3 | |
Quelle: KBA, VDIK
