Germany’s electric car boom leaves lower-income households behind in 2025
Electric and plug-in hybrid cars are becoming more common in Germany, but ownership still varies widely by household type and income. By the start of 2025, the country had over 160,000 public charging points, including nearly 36,000 fast-charging stations. Yet only 6.0% of private households owned such a car in 2023, showing a clear divide in adoption rates.
Families with children under 18 were more likely to drive electric or plug-in hybrid cars than those without. In 2023, 11.5% of these households owned one, compared to just 7.5% of childless couples. Single-person households trailed further behind, with only 2.2% making the switch.
Income played a major role in ownership rates. Households earning €5,000 or more per month led the way, with 13.4% owning an electric or plug-in hybrid car. Those with incomes between €3,600 and €5,000 followed at 5.4%, while the figure dropped to 3.5% for households earning €2,600 to €3,600. At the lower end, just 1.3% of households in Wiesbaden with incomes below €2,600 owned such a car. Despite these differences, 80% of all households still had at least one passenger car, regardless of fuel type. The trend toward electrification grew in 2025, with 30.0% of newly registered cars being fully electric or plug-in hybrids.
The shift to electric and plug-in hybrid cars is accelerating, but adoption remains uneven. Higher-income families and those with children are leading the change, while lower earners and single-person households lag behind. With charging infrastructure expanding, the gap may narrow in the coming years.
