The bestseller list for E-cars is in constant motion. Numerous models are currently in a head-to-head race in the statistics of the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). We name the most successful so far this year.
Rank 1: Tesla Model S (828 new registrations). The Americans are one of the few manufacturers who are really serious about electromobility. 828 units were already registered in Germany in the first seven months of the year. This is not only a lot for an electric car, but should also make domestic manufacturers worry in other ways. Because even in the ranking of prestigious luxury cars, the small US manufacturer is in the front places and makes conventional luxury liners and SUVs like the Audi A8, BMW X6 or Porsche Panamera look old.
Rank 2: VW E-Golf (783 new registrations). For a long time, the hope in Wolfsburg was to be able to become the fan for the breakthrough of the scooter. But also the battery version of Germany's bestseller is rather messing around. In Wolfsburg there is little lobby for the pure electric drive. The group management initially chose the plug-in hybrid as the leading eco-project for the brand.
Rank 3: Kia Soul EV (739 new registrations). The electric version of the boxy Korean is probably one of the lesser known e-models. Nevertheless, it is enough for a place on the podium. Above all, the strong July with over 200 new registrations contributed to this. Last but not least, what speaks for the crossover small car is its relatively low price of 30.790 euros.
Rank 4: Nissan Leaf (679 new registrations). The world's best-selling electric car has so far only been a follower in Germany. After all, Nissan stays on the ball and regularly improves its image carrier. The latest expansion will soon be able to drive up to 250 kilometers without a socket stop. The price has also dropped to a fairly acceptable level at 33.690 euros. If that is still too expensive, you can also choose the previous version with a smaller battery. They are available for 18.590 euros plus battery rent.
Rank 5: BMW i3 (573 new registrations) The fact that the small carbon car from Munich is so far down has to do with one of its particular strengths. The i3 is not only available as a pure battery car, but also in a variant with an additional internal combustion engine. This so-called range extender recharges empty batteries while driving and thus increases the range. If the KBA included this variant among electric cars, the small BMW would be the market leader with over 1.000 new registrations.
In general, the approval statistics are only meaningful in detail after seven months. Because the monthly numbers differ greatly. As with the Tesla S, this may be due to an irregular delivery from overseas, but in many other cases it may have more to do with the strategic considerations of the manufacturers. For example, the numbers around the end of the quarter and half-year balance sheet tend to rise sharply for a short time, which suggests that the vehicles were primarily approved for statistics. In general, the quota of self-registrations for e-mobiles is high: almost 40 percent of cars are registered with manufacturers or dealers.
It remains to be seen who will be at the top at the end of the year. Models such as the Renault Zoe or the VW E-Up should still have chances given the low market level.
Author: Holger Holzer / SP-X