The German passenger car market in 2024 experienced significant fluctuations, marked by a continued decline in overall vehicle registrations despite record-breaking production levels for electric vehicles (EVs). Total domestic car production for the year remained at 4.1 million units, matching 2023 levels but falling short of the pre-crisis output of 2019 by 12%. Notably, November 2024 set a new milestone in electric car manufacturing, with 155,700 EVs produced, representing a 29% year-over-year increase. Within this category, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) achieved unprecedented output, with 120,500 units manufactured in a single month. By November’s end, nearly 1.3 million EVs had been produced, surpassing the entire EV production volume of 2023.
Exports painted a mixed picture, with December volumes dipping 9% compared to the same month in 2023. However, total annual exports rose slightly by 2%, reaching 3.2 million units, though still 9% below the 2019 benchmark. Meanwhile, domestic orders showed a 35% year-on-year increase in December, contributing to a 12% annual growth, while foreign orders stagnated. On the consumer side, new car registrations continued their downward trend, with a total of 2.8 million vehicles registered in 2024, reflecting a 1% annual decline and a stark 22% drop from 2019 levels.
The electric vehicle market faced notable challenges despite production highs. New EV registrations fell by 27% in December, with BEVs seeing a sharp 39% decrease while plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) rose by 7%. Over the year, total new EV registrations dropped 18% compared to 2023, primarily due to a 27% decline in BEVs, while PHEVs grew modestly by 9%. These trends underscore the complex dynamics in Germany’s automotive market as it grapples with shifting consumer preferences, production advances, and the lingering impact of pre-crisis levels.
