Electromobility - 42 million cars with electric driveworldwide
Worldwide, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) is increasing rapidly. According to the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW), the global stock reached approximately 42 million units at the end of 2023. This was about 50% more than the previous year. The count included not only pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs), but also plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and those with a so-called range extender (REX), often a small internal combustion engine.
China is the clear home of electric vehicles: According to ZSW, there were 23.4 million such vehicles there at the time, which is more than half the global stock. The USA is in second place with 4.8 million vehicles, but already significantly behind. Germany ranks third with 2.3 million, followed by France and the United Kingdom with 1.6 and 1.5 million, respectively.
China's dominance is expected to remain strong in the short term. In 2023, the stock in China showed significantly stronger growth than in Germany, the USA, and most other major markets.
Germany needs new impulses for e-mobility
To achieve Germany's goals in e-mobility, the market needs new impulses, according to Andreas Puettner from ZSW. "The growth initiative of the German government for the stronger promotion of electric service vehicles can only be a first step." In the face of shrinking budgets, he proposes abolishing climate-damaging subsidies for conventional vehicles - for example, the Diesel tax break or the diesel vehicle privilege for combustion engines.
The largest manufacturers of pure EVs and PHEVs in 2023 were the Chinese brand BYD with about 3 million new registrations, Tesla with 1.8 million, and VW with one million. BMW managed to place sixth with about 570,000 vehicles, and Mercedes was in tenth place with around 400,000. The ranking among the top three places should at least look similar in terms of the cumulative registrations of the manufacturers. However, the actual stock may differ because cars break down or are retired for other reasons. The ZSW did not provide specific stock numbers by brand.
The Tesla Model Y is the most common EV in the world
According to these cumulative registration figures, the two most common EVs in the world come from Tesla: The Model Y with about 2.5 million and the Model 3 with around 2.3 million units. The manufacturer benefits from this because of its relatively narrow product range, which concentrates sales on a few models. German manufacturers perform poorly in this ranking: Only the VW ID.4 makes it into the top 10 with about 510,000 cumulative registrations, ranking seventh worldwide.
"For the achievement of German climate protection targets, an attractive offer in the lower and middle vehicle segments is urgently needed, so that a larger customer base can be reached," Puettner says. If German or European manufacturers do not fill this gap, "there is a risk that other manufacturers, especially from China, will seize this opportunity, even if the introduction of tariffs on the European level currently prevents this."
- VW, a prominent German automobile company, is actively investing in electromobility, aiming to compete in the global market.
- In response to the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, Stuttgart, Germany, is planning to transform its automobile industry towards electroindustry.
- The United States of America also recognizes the importance of electromobility and is encouraging its auto manufacturers to produce more electric vehicles.
- China, a leader in the electromobility sector, is extending its presence in the automobile industry by expanding its electric vehicle production in France.
- The automatic shift between gears in an electric vehicle, powered by an electric drive, contributes to the smooth operation and energy efficiency of the vehicle.
- The world's leading electroindustry nations, including Germany, the United States, and China, must collaborate to set standards for a more sustainable climate by promoting the widespread use of electric vehicles.
