Electric vehicle boom in the private market: New registrations rose by 171 percent
Image: Skoda (illustrative)
The German passenger car market saw growth of 9.0 percent in September 2026, with 256,774 new registrations compared to the same month last year. The seasonally and working-day adjusted annual rate (SAAR) reached 3.15 million vehicles, the highest level since the start of the year, according to analysts at Dataforce.
The main driver was private demand, which rose by 28 percent to 103,462 vehicles, accounting for 40 percent of the market. While registrations in the fleet market increased by only 1 percent to 69,401 units, car rental companies saw a 8 percent increase.
The market for purely battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) saw particularly dynamic growth, with new registrations rising by 95 percent to around 88,600 units. As a result, more than one in three new cars were fully electric, while vehicles that can be charged externally, including plug-in hybrids, accounted for about 45 percent of all new registrations.
In the private market, BEV registrations increased by 171 percent to 50,418 vehicles, representing 48.7 percent of the total. Meanwhile, registrations for gasoline cars dropped by 26 percent, and those for diesel vehicles fell by 27 percent.
In the fleet market, electric vehicles saw a 54 percent increase to 23,431 new registrations, accounting for 33.8 percent of the total. New and Chinese competitors nearly doubled their combined market share to around 7 percent. Brands such as BYD, MG, Leapmotor, and XPeng benefited from the growing demand for electric vehicles.
The situation was different for vans and utility vehicles, whose new registrations declined by 2 percent to 38,358 units. While private demand dropped by 16 percent, the fleet market remained relatively stable with a 0.6 percent increase. Meanwhile, electric van registrations rose by 60 percent, while gasoline models fell by 12 percent and diesel models by 8 percent. The market share of electric vans reached 16 percent in September, up from less than 9 percent the previous year.
"A Strong Signal for the Passenger Car Market"
"September is a strong signal for the passenger car market, but growth still rests on a narrow foundation. It is driven primarily by the private market and electric mobility, while commercial channels show little activity," explains analyst Julian Litzinger.
"At the same time, rapid shifts in propulsion technologies create great opportunities: Those who combine attractive electric options, competitive prices, and availability now can achieve significant sales volumes. This is also evident in the substantial growth of new competitors."
In the van market, the situation remains subdued, but it is precisely there that rising demand for electric vehicles holds potential for new momentum, according to Litzinger. “Transparency and up-to-date market data are essential for all participants to avoid missing out on new opportunities.”
Also interesting
About the author
Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with experience in the automotive and financial industries. Since 2011, he has been covering electric cars, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions on ecomento.de. Learn more.
Reader interactions