Germany produced a record number of electric vehicles last year, maintaining its place as the world's second-largest manufacturing hub after China, the automotive industry association VDA said on Wednesday.
Production of battery electric vehicles rose 15% to 1.22 million vehicles, while the number of plug-in hybrids rose 54% to about 450,000 vehicles, according to the data, Reuters writes, reports Telegraph.
In total, 1.67 million electric passenger cars were produced domestically, an increase of 23%.
This made Germany again the second most important production country for electric cars worldwide, ahead of the US with 1.04 million, the VDA said, while China produced 16.1 million.
"The German automotive industry is moving forward resolutely with electric mobility and climate-neutral mobility," said VDA President Hildegard Mueller.
The VDA expects a 10% increase in the production of battery electric vehicles in 2026.
In January, Berlin said the government would offer low- and middle-income families subsidies of up to $7,000 (6,000 euros) to buy new electric cars.
Mueller stressed that policymakers need to further improve the overall conditions of the industry, including charging infrastructure, grid expansion and electricity prices, so that measures like the new incentives are not short-lived. /Telegrafi/
