Who still wants German e-cars?

The triumph of e-cars is picking up speed. Battery-powered cars are on the rise in Germany, Europe and around the world. But German manufacturers are facing major challenges.

E-cars have become a steadily growing model of success. The number of newly registered, purely electric vehicles worldwide increased last year more than doubled to 4.5 million Piece. VW, Mercedes, BMW and Co. also have their share in it. But it’s shrinking.

VW and Co.: German e-cars are less in demand

So came in the last quarter of 2021 14 percent of pure electric cars from German manufacturers. In Q4 2020, on the other hand, German brands still accounted for 17 percent of new registrations worldwide, according to a current market analysis (source: PwC Strategy&). It’s not a drastic crash, but it’s a clear signpost.

the The e-car market is developing into a tough patch than German manufacturers in particular are used to from the combustion engine era. Tesla is not the only one who is very successfully involved, as the current figures show. Asian manufacturers were also able to convince last year – including Hyundai with the Ioniq 5 as well as younger Chinese car manufacturers, who are making a name for themselves with enormous ranges.

“The different access to semiconductors reveals geopolitical dimensions,” says Felix Kuhnert, Partner and Automotive Leader at PwC Germany. Also because of the easier availability of such crucial components, some are Asian manufacturers have come through the crisis better so far.

Now it is also important for European manufacturers to ensure product availability. Steps in this direction are already being taken. Several companies want to bring battery cell production and semiconductor production to Europe in the coming years.

Common misconceptions about electric cars – don’t fall for them:

Electric cars and combustion engines in Germany will soon be equal

New registrations of purely electric cars in Germany have increased by 83.3 percent compared to 2020. PwC analysts are expecting a major milestone this year. Nice in the summer, new registrations of combustion engines and electric cars should be equal. Later in the year, more electric cars could be registered for the first time. However, this also includes hybrids, which are currently slightly ahead of the purely electric models.