In Germany There is a great love for cars with combustion engines. But around two years after the abolition of the electric car purchase bonus, electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular again among private car owners, even without direct subsidies.
In the third quarter, according to figures from motor vehicle insurer HUK Coburg, 6.2 percent of car buyers decided to switch from a traditional engine to a battery drive, as the company announced. According to HUK, the switching rate has doubled since the low point at the beginning of 2024. “There now seems to be a new boost in the spread of electric cars in Germany,” said HUK board member Jörg Rheinländer (56).
The calculation is based on company-owned data. With over 14 million insured vehicles, HUK Coburg is the market leader in motor vehicle insurance in Germany. Unlike the Federal Motor Transport Authority in its registration figures, the company only calculates the private electric car share, but includes used electric cars. This year, half of those switching to battery power have already bought an electric used car.
Electric car skepticism in the East
The federal government is currently planning new funding for electric cars. If this comes and also includes the purchase of used battery cars, the HUK expects an additional boost.
However, the analysis reveals major regional differences: electric cars are most popular in Lower Saxony and Bavaria, where over 7 percent of buyers each chose an electric car in the third quarter. However, in four eastern German states – Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Thuringia, the switching rate was less than 4 percent each.