A total of 4.15 million passenger cars were produced in Germany last year. Of these, 1.22 million were battery-electric vehicles, while 0.45 million were plug-in hybrids. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) reported a combined total of 1.67 million electrified vehicles, with BEVs and PHEVs accounting for 40 per cent of Germany’s total passenger car production.
However, these figures do not specify how many units of each electric model were manufactured in Germany. The range includes models such as Volkswagen’s entire ID. family, Audi’s e-tron family, the Cupra Born, the Opel Astra Electric and Grandland Electric, BMW’s iX1, iX2, i4, i5, i7, and iX models, the Mini Countryman Electric, the Ford Capri and Explorer, the Porsche Macan and Taycan, Mercedes-Benz’s CLA EQ, EQA, EQE, and EQS models, as well as the Tesla Model Y. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not disclose exact production numbers for their individual electric models.
“Domestic production of electric vehicles has reached record levels, clearly demonstrating that the German automotive industry is leading the way in e-mobility and climate-neutral mobility. It is now crucial for policymakers to further improve framework conditions to ensure that measures such as the new EV incentive scheme do not remain short-lived,” said VDA President Hildegard Müller. “In particular, we need more charging options for electric passenger cars and commercial vehicles, a consistent expansion of the power grid, more affordable charging electricity, and better access to raw materials critical for transformation. To sustainably accelerate e-mobility in Germany, internationally competitive conditions for businesses are also essential.”
According to the VDA, Germany was the world’s second-largest producer of electric vehicles in 2025, with China as the undisputed leader. Last year, 16.49 million New Energy Vehicles were sold from Chinese production, encompassing all electrified drive types, including BEVs, PHEVs, range extenders, and fuel cell vehicles. However, the volume of battery-electric vehicles in China was likely many times higher, though Chinese authorities do not provide exact figures.
In 2025, the US ranked third in global electric vehicle production—though this position may be at risk following the Trump administration’s decision to halt EV incentives and major manufacturers such as Ford and GM scaling back their e-mobility targets.
For 2026, the VDA expects a further 6 per cent increase in the production of BEVs and PHEVs, reaching 1.76 million units. This relatively modest growth may be attributed, in part, to the fact that some of the biggest new electric models from German manufacturers in 2026 will not be produced in Germany but abroad. For example, BMW is manufacturing the new iX3 in Hungary, Mercedes-Benz the new all-electric GLB, and Volkswagen will have its subsidiary Seat build the upcoming ID. Polo in Spain.
vda.de, zeit.de (both in German)
