More than 1mn cars manufactured in first quarter – New car registrations slightly down – New electric car registrations increased compared to previous year – One in four new registrations is electric – Overall still significantly below pre-crisis levels

In March, domestic passenger car production reached a volume of 391,300 units. This was 8% more than in the same month last year. After the first quarter of the year, 1.1mn passenger cars were manufactured in Germany (+5%). However, compared to the pre-crisis year of 2019, production after three months of the current year was still 14% below the previous level.

Exports also significantly exceeded the previous year’s level in the past month. In March, 304,300 brand-new cars were exported from production facilities in Germany (+8%). Since January, 822,400 new cars have been exported, 5% more than in the same period last year. After three months, exports are still almost 16% below the pre-crisis level of 2019.

Compared to the same month last year, 29% more domestic orders were registered in March of this year. Incoming orders from abroad in March were 4% higher than the previous year. Overall orders – domestic and foreign combined – were 7% higher in March than in the same period last year. After the first quarter, incoming orders are at the previous year’s level.

In March 2025, slightly fewer vehicles were registered on the German passenger car market than a year ago. Compared to the same month last year, the number of passenger car registrations fell by 4% to a volume of 253,500 units. A total of 664,600 new passenger cars were registered in the first quarter of the year. This was 4% fewer than in the previous year. The German passenger car market thus remains well below the level of the pre-crisis year of 2019. The market volume is currently around a quarter short of that level.

The German electric car market is once again experiencing significant growth. In March, new registrations of electric vehicles (BEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs) rose by 46% to a volume of 69,080 units. Year-to-date, the German electric car market is up 40% compared to the first quarter of 2024, with a volume of 176,800 new registrations. This means that just over one in four newly registered cars (27%) in the first quarter of this year was an electric car. New BEV registrations rose by 35% to 42,520 units in March. New PHEV registrations grew by around 66%, reaching 26,550 vehicles. For the year as a whole, new BEV registrations increased by 39% to 113,000 units. The PHEV segment grew by 42%, reaching a volume of 63,800 vehicles in the first quarter.

Passanger Cars *) March 2025 Variation
25/24 in % January – March 2025 Variation
25/24 in % New registration in Germany 253.500 -4 664.600 -4   of which     German makes
incl. group makes 172.500 0 463.700 -1     Foreign makes 81.000 -11 200.800 -11   of which     Electric 69.080 46 176.800 40       BEV 42.520 35 113.000 39       PHEV 26.550 66 63.800 42 Domestic Production 391.300 8 1.084.500 5   of which: Exports 304.300 8 822.400 5 *) partly provisional Source: VDA/KBA

SOURCE: VDA