Dusseldorf In Germany, for the first time since last June, more new cars were registered in January than in the same month last year. The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) recorded 184,112 new registrations, around 8.5 percent more than in January 2021.
For alternative drives, however, the month was a setback. Because the number of newly registered fully electric cars only grew by 28 percent in January – and has therefore lost significant momentum. The continuing lack of chips and the resulting delivery problems are slowing down growth
However, if you compare the share of battery electric vehicles in all new registrations, it fell by around two percentage points to 11.3 percent in January compared to the previous month. By the end of the year, many manufacturers had brought more electric cars onto the market in order to comply with the EU’s fleet targets.
Nevertheless, VW was able to defend its title as the largest electric car brand in January. In absolute terms, however, the number of 2755 new registrations is low. Even group-wide – including Audi, Porsche and Skoda – only 2755 new electric registrations were registered on the home market. Behind land Hyundai (2048 new registrations) and Opel (1752 new registrations).
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In January, there are a few surprises and new additions to the top ten of the most popular electric models in Germany. On the other hand, you will search in vain for bestsellers such as the Tesla Model 3, the BMW i3 or the Skoda Enyaq – as well as successful German brands such as Audi or Mercedes.
10th place: Smart Fortwo – 782 new registrations*
The future of the city car is electric. That’s a thing that’s been decided for a long time. The two-seater is also to be built in China in the future and the number of units will increase significantly. In January, too, the small Stromer was the most successful electric car in the Mercedes group. However, new registrations on the home market have more than halved compared to the previous month.
9th place: Renault Twingo – 807 new registrations
The Smart twin from France made it into the top ten best-selling electric cars in Germany for the first time. The demand for small electric cars is particularly high in Germany, but many brands are not yet serving it. The French challenger benefits from this. After all, 92 percent of all Twingos registered in Germany were electric.
The electric variant of the small car moves up into the top ten in January.
8th place: Renault Zoe – 824 new registrations
It was a difficult start to the year for the second small electric car. After the model was punished with disastrous zero stars by Euro NCAP at the end of 2021, the new registrations are now also sobering.
After all, the Zoe was still the most popular electric car in Germany in 2020. Compared to the previous month, new registrations have now fallen by 81 percent. It seems as if the time of the successful model in Germany is over.
In 2020, the French small car was still able to take the lead in new electric registrations.
(Photo: obs)
7th place: VW E-Up – 861 new registrations
Actually, the time of the small Stromers from the VW empire was already over. In the meantime, the model could no longer be ordered. Now the electric up is making a comeback. Around 9000 copies will be built additionally, according to the group environment.
Compared to the previous month, the electric Up also had to put up with a severe setback. In December, the E-Up was one of the most registered cars in Germany. In January, new registrations fell by a whopping 84 percent.
The entry-level electric car from Wolfsburg is currently doing its last laps.
(Photo: dpa)
6th place: VW ID.4 – 896 new registrations
In China, the medium-sized electric SUV was disappointing last year, and success in Europe is currently still manageable. The chip crisis recently put such a strain on production that VW even had to impose an electrical quota on its dealers. Only large dealers will receive a significant number of electric cars for 2022.
This also explains the continued weak registration figures on the home market. After all, 1350 ID.4 were registered in Germany in December. In January there are significantly fewer.
After the ID.3, the SUV is the second car from Volkswagen that was designed exclusively as an electric vehicle.
(Photo: dpa)
5th place: VW ID.3 – 942 new registrations
The same applies to the “Golf of electromobility” which is currently only on the road on the home market with the handbrake on. Not even 1000 copies of the Stromer were newly registered in January.
The self-declared beacon of hope of the group falls behind many electrical competitors.
The model should be VW’s entry into the mass electric business.
(Photo: dpa)
4th place: Hyundai Ioniq 5 – 954 new registrations
The Korean not only has a futuristic look, but also many qualities that other electric cars lack. Thanks to the 800-volt system – which otherwise only Mercedes EQS and Porsche Taycan have to offer – like its corporate twin Kia EV6, it charges significantly faster than most of its competitors.
The new registrations for the relatively new crossover from Korea are a little weaker than in December 2021, but strong enough to make a decent leap forward in the ranking.
The Korean model is not only an eye-catcher, but also loads very quickly.
(Photo: AP)
3rd place: Hyundai Kona Electric – 1005 new registrations
Another Hyundai electric model does even better. The electric variant now accounts for around half of new compact SUV registrations.
In January, new registrations were significantly lower than in December. But that’s enough for third place in the industry comparison.
Short delivery times, cheap leasing. This also makes the Kona interesting for many German drivers.
(Photo: Reuters)
2nd place: Opel Corsa-e – 1051 new registrations
The small Stromer, which is built in Zaragoza, made it into the top three electric cars with the most new registrations in Germany at the beginning of the year. The Opel, which is also available with a combustion engine, scores with a good ratio of range and price.
Even if new registrations fell slightly compared to December: Every fourth Corsa sold was an electric car.
The small electric car from Opel was more successful in January than all electric cars from VW.
1st place: Fiat 500 – 1261 new registrations
For the first time, the Fiat 500 makes it to the top of the electric cars with the most new registrations. The new edition of the little Italian is apparently well received. Every second Fiat 500 newly registered in Germany is electric.
The small electric car from Italy made it to the top in Germany for the first time.
(Photo: Fiat)
But January was difficult even for the leader: Compared to December, new registrations of the Italian small car have also fallen.
*As of January 2022, source: Kraftfahrt-Bwhole
More: No Tesla, lots of VW – these ten car models were particularly in demand in 2021