In July, the market for alternative powertrains (all-electric, plug-in and non-plug-in hybrids, and natural gas vehicles) grew by 22.1 percent to 185,601 units, with international brands accounting for approximately 43.7 percent. This is according to an analysis of figures from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) conducted by the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (VDIK). The share of new registrations with alternative powertrains in the overall market rose to 69.2 percent in July, up from 57.4 percent in July 2025. In the first seven months of 2026, 1,151,686 passenger cars with alternative powertrains were newly registered, representing an increase of approximately 21.7 percent compared to the same period last year.
VDIK President Imelda Labbé: “The surge in demand for electric cars is clearly reflected in the order intake of international manufacturers. Their BEV order intake has risen by 162 percent compared to the previous year. This once again significantly outpaces the 94 percent growth in total BEV order intake. European manufacturers, in particular, are currently benefiting from the German government’s electric vehicle incentive. Over 80 percent of the subsidized vehicles belong to brands that produce at least one BEV model in Europe.”
New registrations of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rose by 61.7 percent in July to 78,609 units. The share of BEVs in total new passenger car registrations thus reached 29.3 percent. This is approximately 10.9 percentage points higher than in the same month last year and, at +0.9 percentage points, also above the market share recorded in the previous month. International manufacturers saw BEV registrations rise by 93.9 percent in July to 38,864 vehicles. As a result, the BEV market share of international manufacturers in the first seven months stood at 45.5 percent, which is 4.7 percentage points higher than in the same period of 2025. In July, the BEV market share of international manufacturers was 49.4 percent. The total market share of BEV passenger cars since January 2026 has so far amounted to 25.5 percent.
New registrations of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) also posted double-digit growth rates again in July. A total of 30,609 new PHEVs hit the roads, representing a 12.5 percent increase over the same month last year. This represented 11.4 percent of all new passenger car registrations, about 1.1 percentage points higher than in July 2025. The market share of international automakers in the plug-in hybrid segment stood at 41.1 percent in July. After seven months, the PHEV market has a total market share of 11.1 percent for the current year.
Together, electric vehicles (BEVs, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles) accounted for a market share of 40.7 percent in July, with 109,220 new registrations. This represents a 44.1 percent increase compared to the same month last year. In the first seven months of 2026, the electric vehicle market totaled 641,028 new registrations, representing a 38.3 percent increase.
New registrations of non-plug-in hybrid vehicles declined slightly in July, by 0.7 percent. The 74,675 new registrations accounted for 27.9 percent of all new passenger car registrations. The market share of international automakers in the hybrid segment stood at 37.3 percent in July 2026. Since the beginning of the year, new registrations of non-plug-in hybrid vehicles have increased by about 5.7 percent compared to the same period last year.
In addition, 1,705 LPG passenger cars (+59.2 percent) were newly registered in July. Since the beginning of the year, new registrations of LPG passenger cars have totaled 8,349 units (+14.1 percent).
New registrations of passenger cars powered solely by internal combustion engines reached 82,435 units in July, of which 50,732 were gasoline-powered (-29.7 percent) and 31,703 were diesel-powered (-21.8 percent). Gasoline-powered cars accounted for 18.9 percent of passenger car registrations, while diesel cars accounted for 11.8 percent.
| July | Januar-July | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +/- (%) | Share of total car market (%) | Share of international brands (%) | +/- (%) | Share of total car market (%) | Share of international brands (%) | |||
| BEV | 78.609 | 61,7 | 29,3 | 49,4 | 446.615 | 50,2 | 25,5 | 45,5 |
| PHEV | 30.609 | 12,5 | 11,4 | 41,1 | 194.402 | 17,0 | 11,1 | 40,8 |
| FCEV | 2 | 100,0 | 0,0 | – | 11 | -75,0 | 0,0 | 100,0 |
| Electric Vehicles (total) | 109.220 | 44,1 | 40,7 | 47,1 | 641.028 | 38,3 | 36,6 | 44,0 |
| Hybride including: | 74.675 | -0,7 | 27,9 | 37,3 | 502.308 | 5,7 | 28,7 | 42,8 |
| full-hybrid | 13.513 | -0,8 | 5,0 | 81,7 | 80.719 | 7,8 | 4,6 | 87,7 |
| mild-hybrid | 61.162 | -0,6 | 22,8 | 27,5 | 421.589 | 5,3 | 24,1 | 34,2 |
| CNG | 1 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 100,0 | 1 | -66,7 | 0,0 | 100,0 |
| LPG | 1.705 | 59,2 | 0,6 | 99,8 | 8.349 | 14,1 | 0,5 | 99,5 |
| Alternative Drivetrains (total) | 185.601 | 22,1 | 69,2 | 43,7 | 1.151.686 | 21,7 | 65,7 | 43,9 |
| Petrol | 50.732 | -29,7 | 18,9 | 46,9 | 375.812 | -20,0 | 21,4 | 44,9 |
| Diesel | 31.703 | -21,8 | 11,8 | 224.860 | -10,7 | 12,8 | ||
| Passenger car (total) | 268.068 | 1,2 | 44,6 | 1.752.461 | 5,1 | 44,2 | ||
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.
