Study: Germany's private EV market shows signs of recovery

Germany's private electric vehicle (EV) market is showing signs of renewed growth after a long slump following the government's removal of a purchase subsidy at the end of 2023, according to the latest study from the insurer HUK-Coburg.

Between April and June, an average of 5.5% of private car owners chose a fully electric vehicle, marking an increase of roughly one third from 4.1% in the first quarter of 2025.

Hybrid vehicles were excluded from the analysis.

The rise comes after the EV adoption rate dropped from 6.2% to below 4% following the subsidy cancellation in December 2023.

HUK-Coburg's data is based on registrations of private owners' new and used vehicles and excludes company cars and rental fleets. The insurer covers more than 14 million vehicles in Germany, making it the country's largest motor insurer.

"Whether the transition to electric mobility succeeds in Germany depends on the private car market, which makes up about 90% of the total market," said board member Jörg Rheinländer.

Accompanying surveys indicate growing public acceptance of EVs. In a recent poll of more than 4,000 people aged 16 and older, 48% rated electric cars as "good" or "very good" for the first time, up from 37% in early 2024.

Support varies by age, gender and federal state: nearly two-thirds of people aged between 16 and 39 favour EVs, compared to 39% of those over 40. Men are more supportive (55%) than women (41%).

Regional differences also persist, with Bavaria and Lower Saxony showing the highest EV uptake.