Summary
Germany’s motor trade association (ZDK) warns that the apparent boom in electric vehicle registrations is being propped up by rising self-registrations by carmakers and dealers, rather than genuine customer purchases. The practice boosts official totals and helps manufacturers manage EU emissions targets, but risks distorting demand signals.
Key figures
- About one in four newly registered cars in October was self-registered.
- Pure EV registrations (Jan–Oct 2025): +39% year over year; EVs were ~18% of new registrations.
- EV self-registrations over the same period: +51%, outpacing overall EV growth.
Why it matters
Self-registrations can improve a manufacturer’s fleet-average CO2 profile and support inventory and marketing goals, but they may overstate real consumer uptake. Dealers worry the trend masks softer underlying demand and could undermine pricing and margins if pre-registered cars later sell at discounts.
Industry and policy context
The debate intensifies as major automakers lobby to soften the EU’s 2035 phase-out of new combustion-engine sales, citing slower-than-expected EV adoption and cost pressures. ZDK’s critique challenges how policymakers and investors interpret monthly registration data as a proxy for the transition’s pace.
What to watch
- Future KBA reports for the share of self-registrations within EV totals.
- Responses from industry groups (VDA, VDIK) and any shifts in EU policy discussions.
- Brand-level reliance on self-registrations and any downstream pricing effects in the nearly-new market.
