E-mobility: new registrations of e-cars rose sharply in first half of the year

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Electromobility in Germany is clearly picking up speed and made further progress in the first half of 2025. The 7th Electric Mobility Monitor published by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) on Tuesday shows that the transition to sustainable mobility is gaining momentum in three key areas. According to the figures, the concerns of many potential e-car buyers about range anxiety or a lack of charging points are increasingly becoming a thing of the past.

According to the status report, sales figures for electric cars have reached a new high. A total of 248,726 new e-cars were registered in the first half of 2025. This is 35 percent more than in the same period last year and an increase of 13 percent compared to the previous record year of 2023. In August 2025 alone, battery electric vehicles (BEV) accounted for 19 percent of all new registrations. The growing supply is clearly having an effect: in July, over 18% of all new registrations already had an electric motor, meaning that the boom has already been going on for a while.

According to the BDEW, this development is clear evidence that more and more consumers are opting for e-mobility. At the same time, the rising registration figures are helping to reduce the average CO₂ emissions of the new car fleet and comply with the ambitious – EU fleet limits criticized by the car industry.

More charge points

The expansion of the public charging infrastructure is also making great strides. By mid-2025, around 184,000 public charging points were available in Germany, an increase of 11% compared to the beginning of the year. In the first six months of the year, over 20,000 new charging points were installed by the private sector. The number of ultra-fast chargers in particular has risen sharply, significantly increasing the overall charging capacity.

Despite the record number of e-car registrations, on average only 15 percent of public charging points were occupied at any one time. For drivers looking for a charging option, this means that an average of 85% of charge points are free.

For the first time, the association also looked at the charging infrastructure for e-trucks in the overview. It shows that expansion is also making good progress here. There are already 70 charging stations available for e-trucks, 50 of which meet the EU criteria. This means that 67 percent of the 13,300-kilometer freeway network is already covered –, exceeding the EU target of 15 percent by a factor of 4.5.

Price advantages for e-cars

E-mobility is not only cleaner, but also cheaper in most cases, according to the report. The cost analysis shows that charging an electric car is cheaper than refueling a combustion engine in four out of five common scenarios. These include charging at home, public normal charging and fast charging at a contract partner as well as public charging at a roaming partner.

Even in the fifth case, public fast charging via a roaming partner, the costs are comparable depending on the contract. And even in the extreme scenario, in which an electric car is charged exclusively at public fast-charging stations and only via roaming, this does not have to cost more than the average fuel prices.

Sustainable tax incentives desired

BDEW boss Kerstin Andreae sees the statistics as clear proof that the e-mobility market in Germany is improving. She emphasizes that the state must now build on this positive momentum to further promote e-mobility and make it even more attractive, especially for private customers. A strong domestic market is essential to ensure Germany's international competitiveness.

Andreae warns against lowering the fleet limits. This would jeopardize investments and jobs in the industry and destroy the ability to plan for all market players. Instead, the German government's existing approaches should be further expanded. It proposes that the public sector set a good example when purchasing e-vehicles for its own fleets. In addition, the recently adopted innovation booster for special depreciation allowances should also be extended to leased vehicles. Instead of relying on expensive subsidy programs, sustainable tax incentives for e-cars are the right way forward, as successful examples in countries such as Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium have shown.

The BDEW is calling for a comprehensive e-mobility strategy from the German government and the EU Commission. The energy sector must be actively involved in the ongoing automotive dialog as an important trailblazer to set the course for a successful future. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently emphasized in her State of the Union address: "The future is electric!" At the same time, however, she pleaded for "technological neutrality". Lower Saxony's Minister President Olaf Lies (SPD) also considers electric drive systems to be the leading technology of the future. Nevertheless, he is in favor of allowing vehicles with combustion engines such as plug-in hybrids to continue to be registered if they contribute to achieving climate targets.

(kbe)