Germany’s automotive landscape witnessed a significant shift as Volkswagen, the nation’s leading automaker, clinched the top spot in electric vehicle (EV) registrations, surpassing Tesla’s previous dominance. The competition for supremacy in the German EV market intensified in the past months, with Volkswagen’s electric van emerging as a game-changer.
While Tesla had maintained its lead throughout the first half of the year, Volkswagen managed to reclaim the throne in the most recent month.
Data sourced from Automobilwoche reveals that Volkswagen achieved 41,475 EV registrations during the initial seven months of the year, narrowly overtaking Tesla, which recorded 40,289 vehicle registrations.
| Top EV makers in the German market | Registrations Jan-July 2023 |
| 1. Volkswagen | 41,475 |
| 2. Tesla | 40,289 |
| 3. Mercedes-Benz | 20,613 |
| 4. Audi | 16,786 |
| 5. BMW | 15,987 |
| 6. Hyundai | 15,411 |
Volkswagen’s ascent to the top position can be attributed in part to the successful launch of its electric minibus, the ID.Buzz, in the previous year. The gradual increase in production has sparked heightened interest in Volkswagen’s offerings, ultimately tipping the scales in its favor. After an initial 2,279 registrations of the ID.Buzz model in the first half of the year, this number surged to 536 in July.
Leading the registration charts are Volkswagen’s ID.4, along with the sporty ID.5 GTX, contributing a substantial 22,405 registrations through July. Following closely is the compact VW ID.3 with 13,647 registrations, while the E-Up secured 2,943 registrations.
Tesla’s Model Y electric SUV spearheaded the brand’s registrations in the German EV market, achieving an impressive 29,829 registrations within seven months. The Model 3 followed with 9,045 registrations, trailed by the Model S with 855 registrations, and the Model X with 494 registrations.
Mercedes secured the third position as of the end of July, boasting a total of 20,613 registrations, with its EQA model leading the pack at 7,813 registrations. Audi trailed in fourth place with 16,786 registrations, BMW clinched the fifth spot with 15,987 registrations, and Hyundai stood sixth with 15,411 registrations.
Emerging contenders like SAIC subsidiary MG showcased promising figures with 11,638 registrations. Polestar garnered 4,210 registrations, while BYD amassed 632 approvals, further diversifying the landscape of the German EV market.
