German car market sees significant gain in June – Tesla and BYD electric vehicles in particularly high demand

Alongside the two electric car manufacturers, German premium manufacturers also recorded strong gains. BMW achieved an increase of 18.6 percent (8.8 percent market share), Audi 17.1 percent (6.4 percent). VW remained the strongest individual brand in Germany with a 17.2 percent market share. Among German brands, Smart achieved the strongest growth in June with an increase of 176.3 percent, albeit with a market share of only 0.3 percent. Mini grew by just under 60 percent. Opel, on the other hand, had to accept a decline: the brand lost 14.8 percent.

Combustion engines continue to lose ground

The KBA also attributes the momentum in electric vehicles to the general conditions: „Die hohen Spritpreise und die staatliche Kaufprämie haben auch im Juni für einen starken Anstieg der Neuzulassungen von E-Autos gesorgt". In the first half of the year, new registrations of electric cars rose by 48 percent according to the KBA, amounting to just under 370,000 vehicles. BYD sold a total of 26,000 vehicles in Germany in the first half of the year.

Overall, electrified powertrains now account for around two-thirds of all new registrations. Hybrid powertrains also increased in June to 115,527 new cars, a gain of 16.8 percent. Among these were 32,212 plug-in hybrids, which grew by 25.8 percent. Their share stood at 39 percent.

Classic combustion engines developed clearly against the trend: gasoline vehicles lost 16.8 percent and achieved only a market share of 20.5 percent. „Nur noch rund jeder fünfte Neuwagen fährt ausschließlich mit Benzin". Diesel vehicles declined by 5.1 percent, with their share falling to 11.4 percent. In the half-year comparison, gasoline vehicles were 18.2 percent below the previous year, diesel 8.6 percent.

Shifts also emerged in vehicle segments. With a 37.5 percent market share and an increase of 26.9 percent, SUVs were by far the strongest segment. However, the strongest percentage growth was recorded by subcompact cars at 62.7 percent, albeit with only a 2.9 percent market share. The compact class, on the other hand, slipped by five percent and fell to 12.7 percent, just behind subcompact cars (12.9 percent).

International manufacturers on a growth course

Looking at the overall market, it is above all international manufacturers that are on a growth course, as noted by the Association of Automobile Importers (VDIK). They sold 7.7 percent more vehicles in the first half of the year and now command a market share of 44.2 percent. „Allein BYD verkaufte im Juni viermal so viele Autos wie im Vorjahr".

Outlook for the full year

Imelda Labbe from the Association of Automobile Importers VDIK sees potential for the full year in this development: „Die Entwicklung schaffe Potenzial, dass sich der Gesamtmarkt im laufenden Jahr der Marke von drei Millionen Autos nähere". With a total of 1,484,393 newly registered passenger cars, the half-year was 5.8 percent above the same period last year.

Private new registrations rose by 28.6 percent in June, with their share at 36.6 percent. At the same time, the average theoretical CO₂ emissions of new cars fell by 13.6 percent to 92.6 g/km – a figure that underscores the ongoing shift toward more climate-friendly powertrains. The figures were published by Dow Jones Newswires on 3 July 2026.