Powering Ahead: Volkswagen Takes Charge of Germany's EV Market - Tesla Tumbles Back
- German electric vehicle dominance: Volkswagen leads – Tesla recedes
Hey there, let's dive into the world of electric vehicles!
Volkswagen has seized control of the German EV market, leaving Tesla to play catch-up after a slump. The KBA's (Federal Motor Transport Authority) figures for the first quarter of 2025 show Volkswagen and its Wolfsburg-based company on top, with BMW hot on their heels. Surprisingly, Tesla now finds itself in eighth position.
In the first quarter, the KBA recorded 112,968 new registrations of pure EVs. Volkswagen proudly leads the pack with 25,393, followed closely by BMW with 10,315. The pack gets a bit tighter, with three Volkswagen subsidiaries close behind—Škoda (9,258), Audi (8,634), and SEAT (8,063)—and Mercedes (7,090) and Hyundai (5,316) joining the race. Tesla struggles at eighth place with 4,935 registrations. Last year, amid environmental bonus abolition concerns, Tesla still reigned supreme, but in the overall year, it slid to third.
The first quarter of 2025 has brought some unusual circumstances. Many manufacturers have hastily moved electric vehicle registrations from 2024 to 2025 to better meet the tightened CO2 emission targets. Tesla may also be feeling the pinch of CEO, Elon Musk's, political activities and the recent facelift of the Model Y.
Even in March, Volkswagen's registrations saw only minor growth. In terms of models, Volkswagen now takes the top six spots, including its subsidiaries. The ID.7 spearheads the pack with 9,336 new registrations. Tesla's Model Y, which held the number one spot in Germany for all of 2024, has dropped to seventh place.
When examining the group-level data, Volkswagen's dominance becomes glaringly obvious. Combining Škoda Auto, Audi, SEAT, and Porsche, Volkswagen boasts a whopping 53,880 electric vehicle registrations, accounting for nearly 48% of the market share. BMW, including Mini, lags slightly behind at around 11%.
VW, EV Market, Wolfsburg, BMW, Auto, KBA, Škoda Auto, Audi, SEAT, Flensburg, Mercedes, Hyundai, Tesla, Model Y, Elon Musk
Did You Know?
- Volkswagen's 113% growth in EV sales in Europe in Q1 2025 translated to over 150,000 vehicles, giving them a 26% share of the European BEV market.
- Seven out of ten best-selling electric models in Germany belong to Volkswagen brands.
- Tesla is facing mounting competition not only from established players like Volkswagen but also from up-and-coming brands such as China's BYD, which has been swiftly capturing market share.
- Volkswagen's dominance in the EV market extends beyond Germany, with its European BEV sales increasing by 113% in Q1 2025, amounting to over 150,000 vehicles and a 26% market share.
- In the German market, no less than seven out of ten best-selling electric vehicles are from Volkswagen brands, while Tesla faces mounting rivalry not just from established players like BMW but also from emerging brands such as China's BYD.
- Concurrently, Tesla's position in the German EV market, now in eighth place, may be affected not only by Volkswagen's aggressive strategies but also by internal factors, like the recent changes in the Model Y and Elon Musk's political engagements.
