2026 (Q1): Volkswagen and Skoda were the top-selling electric car brands in Germany, with the Skoda Elroq and Tesla Model Y the best-selling BEV models.
New passenger battery-electric vehicle (all electric cars) registrations in Germany during the first quarter of 2026 increased by over 40% for a 23% share of the total new car market. Volkswagen, Skoda, and Tesla were the top-selling electric car brands in Germany. The Skoda Elroq was the best-selling electric car model, while the VW Golf was the most popular car model overall.
Latest German Car Sales Statistics: 2026 (Q1): Brands, Models, Electric; 2025: Market Overview, Brands, Top 50 Models, Electric; 2024-2007.
German Electric Car Market in 2026 (Q1)
In the first quarter of 2026, the German electric car market expanded by 41.3% to 159,630 all-electric cars, up from 112,968 battery electric cars in 2025 (Q1) and 81,337 BEV in 2024 (Q1). Electric cars took a 22.8% share of the German new car market — up from 17% in 2025 (Q1).
The total German new car market expanded by a more moderate 5.2% to 699,404 cars compared to 664,571 cars registered in 2025 (Q1). Volkswagen remained the leading brand.
Electric car sales in Germany were helped by the reintroduction of incentives. Although discounts may only be reclaimed later in the year, they already apply to cars bought during the first months of 2026. The war in Iran increased online searches for electric cars in Germany, but has not yet been able to directly influence new car registrations during the first quarter of 2026.
Ten Best-Selling Electric Car Brands in Germany in 2026 (Q1)
The ten top-selling battery electric vehicle (BEV) car brands in Germany in the first quarter of 2026, according to the KBA, were:
| R | Brand | 2026 (Q1) | 2025 (Q1) | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | All BEV Sales | 159,630 | 112,968 | 41.3 |
| 1 | Volkswagen | 23,888 | 25,393 | -5.9 |
| 2 | Skoda | 17,958 | 9,258 | 94 |
| 3 | Tesla | 12,829 | 4,935 | 160 |
| 4 | Audi | 12,462 | 8,634 | 44.3 |
| 5 | BMW | 11,885 | 10,315 | 15.2 |
| 6 | Mercedes | 10,399 | 7,090 | 46.7 |
| 7 | Seat | 7,134 | 8,063 | -11.5 |
| 8 | Opel | 6,938 | 3,234 | 114.6 |
| 9 | Hyundai | 6,423 | 5,316 | 20.8 |
| 10 | Kia | 4,957 | 3,209 | 54.5 |
| Source: KBA |
The same ten brands as a year ago were the largest sellers of electric cars in Germany during the first quarter of 2026 but the rank order changed a bit.
Volkswagen remained the top electric car brand in Germany during the first three months of 2026 despite lower sales.
Skoda almost doubled electric car sales in Germany during 2026 Q1 to improve one rank position. Skoda produced the most popular electric car model in Germany and was the second-best-selling car brand in Germany overall, thus far in 2026.
Tesla sales in Germany increased by 160% after a very weak start to 2025. Tesla sales were still slightly lower than in the first three months of 2024.
Audi maintained fourth place with sales up 44%. BMW dropped from second to fifth despite increasing sales. Mercedes maintained its sixth place with sales up 47%.
Seat was the worst performer with sales down 11.5%. In contrast, Opel has almost doubled electric car sales in Germany thus far in 2026. Hyundai and Kia rounded out the top ten best-selling electric car brands in Germany in 2026 Q1.
20 Best-Selling Battery Electric Car Models in Germany in 2026(Q1)
The 20 top-selling electric car (BEV) models in Germany during the first quarter of 2025, according to the KBA, were:
| R | Brand | Model | Sales 2026 (Q1) | Sales 2025 (Q1) | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skoda | ELROQ | 10,399 | 1,865 | 457.6 |
| 2 | Tesla | MODEL Y | 9,300 | 3,442 | 170.2 |
| 3 | Volkswagen | ID.3 | 8,158 | 6,174 | 32.1 |
| 4 | Volkswagen | ID.7 | 7,917 | 9,336 | -15.2 |
| 5 | Skoda | ENYAQ | 7,541 | 7,393 | 2 |
| 6 | Volkswagen | ID.4, ID.5 | 5,168 | 7,778 | -33.6 |
| 7 | Audi | A6 | 4,999 | 1,881 | 165.8 |
| 8 | Mercedes | CLA-KLASSE | 4,952 | 112 | 4321 |
| 9 | Audi | Q6 | 4,032 | 2,409 | 67.4 |
| 10 | Seat | BORN | 3,887 | 5,241 | -25.8 |
| 11 | Mini | MINI | 3,698 | 2,416 | 53.1 |
| 12 | Tesla | MODEL 3 | 3,390 | 1,408 | 140.8 |
| 13 | BMW | X1 | 3,375 | 2,797 | 20.7 |
| 14 | Seat | TAVASCAN | 3,224 | 2,822 | 14.2 |
| 15 | Audi | Q4 | 3,144 | 3,906 | -19.5 |
| 16 | Hyundai | INSTER | 2,927 | 1,680 | 74.2 |
| 17 | Opel | GRANDLAND X | 2,887 | 649 | 344 |
| 18 | Citroen | C3 | 2,803 | 605 | 363 |
| 19 | BMW | 5ER | 2,774 | 2,308 | 20.2 |
| 20 | BYD | DOLPHIN SURF | 2,462 | – | – |
| Source: KBA | |||||
The top-selling electric car model in Germany during the first quarter of 2026 was the Skoda Elroq, which was introduced only a year ago. It was followed by the Tesla Model Y, which staged a strong recovery — up from 7th in 2025. The VW ID3 improved one position with sales up by a third.
The Volkswagen ID7, last year’s top-selling electric car in Germany, slipped down to fourth with weaker sales. Sales of the SKoda Enyaq were flat, and the model dropped to fifth from third. Last year’s second most popular all-electric car, the VW ID4, dropped to sixth with sales down by a third.
The Audi A6, Mercedes CLA, and Audi Q6 are all new entrants on the top ten with new electric models.