Electric Vehicles

Germany spurns diesel, petrol cars to become biggest EV market in Europe

Published by

The Driven

Germany is now the biggest buyer of electric vehicles in Europe, surpassing previous market leader Norway in raw numbers – if not market share – while the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicle fall.

The nation saw a massive 60% increase in new sales of both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in 2019 compared to 2018, with 109,000 sales to 68,000 a year earlier.

The increase in EV sales in Germany was reflected in the overall European market, which saw a 45% increase according to European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) figures.

The surge in electric vehicle sales brings Europe’s average market share of electrics to new vehicle sales to 3.53%, and comes overall passenger car registrations fall across Europe – down 7.5% in 2019 compared to 2018.

That picture is being reflected in Australia, where the overall auto market is in a 21 month decline – except for EV sales which are on the rise, albeit from a much smaller base than in Europe.

To read the full story on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle dedicated sister site, The Driven, click here…

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Bridie Schmidt

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Share
Published by

Recent Posts

Home battery market undergoes “healthy reset,” as rooftop solar lingers in record territory

Australia's home battery market is undergoing a "healthy reset," new data shows, with battery sizes…

9 July 2026

Giant wind farm to be first to test Queensland’s tough new planning laws

Huge wind project with one of the country's biggest batteries to become the first to…

9 July 2026

Footy for Climate: Ex AFL stars help football and netball club with new solar and battery system

Footy for Climate, founded by two ex AFL stars, aims to install solar and battery…

9 July 2026

Coal closure “interventions” are stifling investment in the very projects needed to replace them

Uncertainty around the timeline for closure of Australia's remaining coal generators are having a material…

9 July 2026

Fund created to help small manufacturers cut fossil fuels from their production lines

Small Australian manufacturers urged to cut fossil fuels from their production lines with help of…

9 July 2026

Still a rip off? Some energy retailers have slashed GreenPower rates, others haven’t bothered

The black box of a federal consumer renewable energy scheme raises questions over whether it's…

9 July 2026