Despite a significant increase in sales figures, the electric car still has a difficult time with German car buyers compared to combustion engines. In May, almost 47 percent more purely battery-electric cars were registered than in the same month last year, as the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) announced on Monday. This results in a market share of around 17 percent. Gasoline and diesel-powered cars accounted for around 53 percent. The remainder is largely accounted for by vehicles with hybrid drives.
"Despite the high growth rates for electric cars, we must continue to hold that the vast majority of new car buyers are turning to combustion engines," said Peter Fuß, a car expert at the consulting firm EY. There is currently no sign of a real trend reversal towards electric cars. According to the KBA, sales of gasoline cars increased by almost 18 percent, while diesel cars rose by four percent.
According to the figures, urban off-road vehicles (SUVs) continued to boom: they grew by 27 percent year-on-year and were the strongest segment with a share of just under 30 percent.
In total, around 2023,247 cars were newly registered in May 000, 19 percent more than in the same month last year. This upward trend is likely to continue, predicts EY expert Fuß. The chip shortage is becoming less important and the supply situation is easing. In addition, there is a large order backlog and considerable pent-up demand from recent years.