BERLIN, July 3 (Xinhua) -- New passenger car registrations in Germany rose 5.8 percent year on year to nearly 1.5 million vehicles in the first half of 2026, data from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) showed on Friday.
The electric vehicle (EV) market, comprising battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), recorded strong growth during the period, Germany's Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK) said after analyzing KBA data. EVs accounted for 531,799 new registrations in the first half of 2026, up 37.2 percent from the same period last year.
Demand for EVs has been supported by a government subsidy program offering buyers up to 6,000 euros (6,840 U.S. dollars), depending on income, toward the purchase of a new electric vehicle. Higher fuel prices following the Iran war have also encouraged consumers to switch from conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.
VDIK said foreign automakers with strong electrified model line-ups were among the biggest beneficiaries. Chinese automaker BYD, which sells both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, registered about 26,000 vehicles in Germany during the first half, more than triple the number recorded a year earlier. Leapmotor quadrupled its registrations to 8,400 vehicles, while SAIC Motor's MG brand posted a 40 percent increase. Tesla also rebounded after a sharp decline last year, with registrations surging 224.6 percent to nearly 29,000 vehicles. ■