Germany September 2023: Incentives end send BEV down -35%, Tesla off -69.3%, VW Golf at highest in 19 months

New wind for the VW Golf at home.

New car sales in Germany are flat in September at -0.1% year-on-year to 224,502, leading to a year-to-date volume up 14.5% to 2,138,066. September is down -8.2% on pre-pandemic September 2019 (244,622) and YTD is down -22% over the same period in 2019 (2,740,158). This month’s result is impacted by the end of BEV government incentives for business buyers. As such, sales of BEVs plunge -35% year-on-year in September to just 47,097 and Tesla implodes -69.3%. The Top 5 brands beat the market with year-on-year upticks. Volkswagen (+4.1%) reaches 18.7% share vs. 18.3% so far this year, Mercedes (+5.3%) is at 9.4% vs. 9.9%, Audi (+4.9%) at 8% vs. 8.6% and BMW (+7.7%) at 7.9% vs. 7.9%. Opel (+25.9%) sports an unusually hefty gain to repeat at #5 above rival Skoda (-12.8%). Ford (-16.2%) and Hyundai (-22.6%) are in difficulty whereas Seat (+82.9%) and Fiat (+8.1%) are strong. Further down, notice Peugeot (+57.7%), Suzuki (+50.6%), Jeep (+96.7%) and Smart (+137.4%) while MG (-55.9%) craters. 

Over in the models ranking, the VW Golf (+23.2%) posts a rare gain and at 3.9% share it reaches its highest level since February 2022. The VW T-Roc (+16.2%), VW Tiguan (+1.2%) and Opel Corsa (+33.1%), all in good shape, ensure the Top 4 models are identical to the YTD order. The VW Passat (+64.8%) surges to 5th place above the Fiat 500 lineup (+2.3%). The Tesla Model Y, #1 a year ago, freefalls -60.2% to #7. Exceptional month for the Mercedes GLC (+262.9%) up 15 spots on August to #8,  its first Top 10 outing since January 2022. The Mini lineup (+12.5%) and Skoda Octavia (-43.6%) close out the Top 10. Below, the BMW X3 (+37.1%), Audi A4 (+53.3%), Seat Leon (+86.2%) and BMW X1 (+238.2%) stand out. The Opel Astra (+205.7%) takes off and is up 19 ranks on last month to #23. Finally, the Chinese EV stars of August fall back hard: the GWM Funky Cat is off 114 spots to #151 and the BYD Atto 3 is down 134 ranks to #179.

Previous month: Germany August 2023: Market up 37.3%, Fiat 500 up to #3, GWM Funky Cat and BYD Atto 3 surge

One year ago: Germany September 2022: Tesla Model Y clear best-seller, market up 14.1%

Full September 2023 Top 60 All brands and Top 332 All models below.