Germany’s EV Share Hits a Record 37% as Battery-Electrics Beat Gas and Diesel Combined

Battery-electric cars took a record 37% of Germany’s new-car market in October 2026, according to data released by the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), the country’s federal motor vehicle authority. For the first time, battery-electrics outsold gasoline and diesel cars combined in Europe’s largest auto market.

The milestone matters because Germany is the home market of Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, and its buyers have historically been slower to embrace electric cars than buyers in Norway or the Netherlands. A 37% share means more than one in three new cars registered in Germany in October was a pure battery-electric, with hybrids and plug-in hybrids taking additional share on top.

The result also lands in a year when the US EV market has cooled sharply after federal tax credits expired, with US EV share settling near 6% of retail sales. Germany’s record month shows the two markets moving in opposite directions: European demand is being carried by a widening range of affordable electric models and strong domestic brands, while American EV sales have fallen back. For automakers planning where to send their electric inventory, the German numbers are a clear signal about where the demand is.