Cleaner Cars Gaining Ground in Germany: Small and Compact Vehicles in Decline
Fewer Odors Detected on German Streets
Germany's roads are seeing an improvement in cleanliness, with over half of the registered 49 million passenger cars either adhering to the Euro 6 emissions standard or emitting zero exhaust gases, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority data from January.
While this change is commendable, the growing numbers of cleaner cars have come at the expense of smaller and compact cars. The trend toward larger vehicles is a result of the stringent Euro emissions standards, which, although focused on reducing pollutants like nitrogen oxides and fine dust, do not regulate carbon dioxide emissions.
With the share of small cars dwindling, the compact class remains the most popular, yet it has experienced a decrease of 132,000 cars. The number of small cars has decreased by 101,000, and the number of mini cars, not including Mini brand vehicles, has fallen by 62,000.
The growth in electric vehicles is also noticeable, with a 243,000 increase in registered electric cars in Germany, reaching 1.65 million. The shift toward cleaner and larger vehicles is particularly evident in the rising popularity of SUVs, off-road vehicles, and motorhomes, which have gained 588,000, 112,000, and 73,000 more registrations, respectively.
Data from March 2025 shows that over 16% of new passenger car registrations are battery electric vehicles (BEVs), representing a significant increase of 35.5% from the previous year. Moreover, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) saw a 65.8% increase in year-over-year registrations, accounting for 10.5% of new registrations.
This shift in vehicle preferences is not exclusive to Germany. Across the globe, greater focus on emissions reduction, technological advancements, and changing lifestyles are gradually reshaping the automobile landscape.
The community's focus on adhering to the Euro 6 emissions standard and the rise of zero-emission vehicles, as shown in Germany, has led to a decrease in the popularity of mini, small, and compact cars. While electric vehicles, such as BEVs and PHEVs, are gaining widespread recognition, the demand for stinkier, polluting vehicles, like SUVs, off-road vehicles, and motorhomes, is surprisingly on the rise. This global shift toward cleaner vehicles, driven by stricter emissions regulations and technological advancements, is not limited to Germany and is reshaping vocational training programs to cater to the growing demand for skilled professionals in the automobile industry.
