EVs At 33.7% Share In Germany – Skoda Elroq Leads

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The first quarter of 2026 saw plugin EVs at 33.7% share in Germany, up from 26.6% in Q1 2025. BEV share grew strongly year on year, and PHEV share grew modestly. Overall Q1 auto volume was 699,377 units, up some 5% YoY. The Skoda Elroq was the best-selling BEV in Q1.

2026 Q1 auto sales saw combined plugin EVs at 33.7% share in Germany, with full electrics (BEVs) at 22.8% and plugin hybrids (PHEVs) at 10.9%. These figures compare YoY against 26.6% combined, 17.0% BEVs and 9.6% PHEVs.

This is the best ever start to a year in terms of BEV share in Germany, with the previous best being Q1 2025 with 17% share. This has been helped by the reintroduction of purchase incentives, with 3.000 € for BEVs and 1.500 € for PHEVs (with additional incentives for lower income families).

Prior to 2025, the start of each year was always a drop from the previous year’s Q4 peak, but since the 2024-2025 period, the peaks and troughs have smoothed out (see graph below). Growth in BEV share has been more steady (and less “roller-coaster”) ever since. This steady climb should remain the trend throughout 2026, now that incentives are back on the table.

As well as the growth in plugins, combustion-only powertrains are also being squeezed by growth in HEV and Mild-HEV powertrains. Remember that the latter are – at this stage of the transition – a cheap-and-easy way for legacy manufacturers to improve their fleet emissions. But they are also a “quick fix” – only a temporary interim technology, which will give way to plugins, and ultimately to BEVs, as we have seen in Norway, China, and other advanced markets.

HEVs (and mild HEVs) grew volume 7.4% YoY, whilst diesels lost 6.5% volume, and petrol lost 16.6% volume.

Best-Selling BEV Models

The Skoda Elroq has finally taken the quarterly lead, following a strong ascent since its debut in Q1 2025. It registered a personal best 10,399 units in Q1 2026. The Tesla Model Y came second with 9,300 units – its best quarter since Q1 2024.

The Volkswagen ID.3 came third, with 8,158 units registered. Last quarter’s leader, and overall 2025 best-seller, the Volkswagen ID.7, was relegated to 4th place.

Elsewhere in the top 20, the biggest QoQ gains were made by the Hyundai Inster (up 7 spots to 16th), the Opel Grandland (up 14 spots to 17th), and the BYD Dolphin Surf (up 17 spots to 20th).

There were a large number of BEV debutants in Q1, with the following debut models selling hundreds of units; the Porsche Cayenne, Nissan Micra, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Toyota C-HR, Mercedes EQC, MG S6, Jeep Compass, and Kia EV2.

The following debut models sold tens of units; the Renault Twingo, Alpine A390, Zeekr 7X, and Mazda CX-6. These ones sold just single digits initially; the Cadillac Optiq, Zeekr X, Zeekr 01, Subaru Uncharted, and Subaru Outback.

The most interesting debut models for bringing BEVs to ordinary consumers at relatively affordable prices are; the Nissan Micra (27.990 €), Toyota Urban Cruiser (31.990 €), Kia EV2 (26.600 €), and the Renault Twingo (19.990 €). Most of the others are well into the €40k (and up) price brackets, of which there are already a huge number of BEV options. Let’s watch to see which of these relatively affordable models might join the top 20 later in the year.

Outlook

The reintroduction of purchase incentives has given a boost to the EV market in Q1, and should lead to steady growth throughout the remainder of the year.

The German economy remains stagnant, with Q1 2026 seeing just 0.4% YoY GDP growth. Inflation stood at 2.7% as of the end of Q1, from 1.8% as of the end of Q4. ECB interest rates remained flat throughout Q4 and Q1 at 2.15% (though have since increased). Manufacturing PMI climbed to 52.2 points by the end of Q1, from 47 points at the end of Q4.

What’s your prediction for Germany’s EV transition in 2026? Which models do you think might prove popular this year? Please share your ideas and perspectives in the comments below.