Half-year 2022: Volkswagen, Tesla, and Hyundai were the best-selling electric car brands in Germany with the Fiat 500 the top-selling model.
During the first half of 2022, new battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations in Germany increased by a modest 12% to take a 13.5% share of the total German new car market. Volkswagen narrowly remained the top-selling electric car brand followed by Tesla and Hyundai. The Fiat 500 was Germany’s favorite electric car model during the first semester of 2022 followed by the Tesla Model 3.
German Car Sales Statistics — 2022 Half Year: Brands & Models, Electric; 2021: Market Overview, Brands, Models, Electric; 2020: Market Overview, Brands, Models, Electric Cars.
German Electric Car Market in 2022 (Half Year)
| Brand | HY/2022 | HY/2021 | HY/2020 | HY/2019 |
| Total Electric | 167,263 | 148,718 | 44,307 | 31,059 |
| Total Car Market | 1,237,975 | 1,390,889 | 1,210,622 | 1,849,000 |
| % Share Electric | 13.5 | 10.7 | 3.7 | 1.7 |
New battery-electric passenger vehicle registrations in Germany during the first half of 2022 increased by a relatively modest 12.5%. As the German new car market contracted by 11% overall, electric cars took a new record 13.5% of the total German new car market.
Component shortages and production issues were the main factors determining the registrations of new cars in Germany during the first semester of 2022. Demand for electric cars far exceeds supply, which on its own should question the continued generous government subsidies for battery-electric cars. With incentives for plug-in hybrids expected to end by 2023, demand for BEVs is likely to increase, especially for company and business cars.
For some models, waiting periods of 20 months are quoted while delivery periods of over 12 months are becoming the norm. Although the Volkswagen Group, amongst others, predicted that manufacturing should return to normal by the end of 2022, many expect the shortage of new cars to continue well into 2023.
Best-Selling Electric Car Brands in Germany in 2022 (Half Year)
The ten top-selling car brands in Germany during the first semester of 2022 were:
| BEV Brands | Jan-Jun 2022 | % Share | |
| Total BEV Electric Sales | 167,263 | 100.0 | |
| 1 | VW | 18,887 | 11.3 |
| 2 | Tesla | 18,259 | 10.9 |
| 3 | Hyundai | 13,503 | 8.1 |
| 4 | Renault | 11,477 | 6.9 |
| 5 | Fiat | 11,301 | 6.8 |
| 6 | Audi | 11,170 | 6.7 |
| 7 | BMW | 10,148 | 6.1 |
| 8 | Opel | 10,106 | 6.0 |
| 9 | Mercedes-Benz | 9,429 | 5.6 |
| 10 | Smart | 7,487 | 4.5 |
| Source: kba.de |
Volkswagen remained the largest electric carmaker in Germany during the first half of 2022 ahead of Tesla. Both brands performed below expectations with production issues continuing to hamper deliveries. However, it is likely that the Tesla plant near Brandenburg should stabilize supply later in the year while VW also increased production of electric cars at several plants in Germany. During the first half of 2021, VW sold 36,000 cars in Germany.
Hyundai, which generally performed well in all sectors in Europe in 2022, moved into third-largest electric car brand in Germany in 2022. Early mover Renault is slipping with an aging range. Fiat moved into fifth place with the Fiat 500 the favorite electric car model in Germany in 2022.
Smart slipped from 3rd to 10th and dealers are probably desperate for the arrival of new models.
Best-Selling Electric Car Models in Germany in 2022 (Half Year)
The 20 top-selling battery-electric car models (BEV) in Germany during the first semester of 2022 were:
| Brand | E Model | Jan-Jun 2022 | |
| 1 | FIAT | 500 | 11,278 |
| 2 | TESLA | MODEL 3 | 10,801 |
| 3 | HYUNDAI | KONA | 7,587 |
| 4 | TESLA | MODEL Y | 7,458 |
| 5 | VW | ID.4, ID.5 | 7,028 |
| 6 | OPEL | CORSA | 6,531 |
| 7 | VW | ID.3 | 6,084 |
| 8 | RENAULT | ZOE | 6,069 |
| 9 | SKODA | ENYAQ | 5,940 |
| 10 | AUDI | E-TRON | 5,590 |
| 11 | BMW | I3 | 5,506 |
| 12 | VW | UP | 5,484 |
| 13 | SMART | FORTWO | 5,302 |
| 14 | MINI | MINI | 5,077 |
| 15 | HYUNDAI | IONIQ5 | 4,998 |
| 16 | RENAULT | TWINGO | 4,510 |
| 17 | AUDI | Q4 | 4,149 |
| 18 | PEUGEOT | 208 | 3,771 |
| 19 | DACIA | SPRING | 3,588 |
| 20 | OPEL | MOKKA | 2,969 |
| Source: KBA.de |
The Fiat 500 was the favorite battery-electric car of the Germans in half-year 2022 followed by the Tesla Model 3. Despite supply problems, competition in the electric car market is heating up with many more models on offer. During the first half of 2021, the VW Up, Tesla Model 3, and VW ID3 all sold in higher volumes than the Fiat 500 in 2022.
The SUV / crossover Hyundai Kona narrowly outsold the Tesla Model Y followed by the VW ID4. The Opel Corsa improved from 9th while the ID3 slipped from third. The Renault Zoe, which was still the top-selling electric car in 2020, was eighth for the second consecutive year.
The BMW i3, VW UP, and Smart Fortwo — all models nearing the end of the production cycle — all dropped out of the top ten.
German Car Sales Statistics — 2022 Half Year: Brands & Models, Electric; 2021: Market Overview, Brands, Models, Electric; 2020: Market Overview, Brands, Models, Electric Cars.
