Car industry German car manufacturers are having a hard time on the global market
German car manufacturers are playing a smaller role on the global market than they used to. In 2024, 17.3 percent of cars produced worldwide will still come from the VW Group, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, as reported by "Automobilwoche" with reference to the industry association VDA.
10.03.2025, 12:59
SDA
This is the lowest figure in the past five years. In 2020, the German market share was 19.7 percent. One reason for the decline is that there are more competitors in the important Chinese car market. The fact that German manufacturers withdrew from the Russian market following Moscow's attack on Ukraine also plays a role.
According to the figures, German companies built around 13.6 million cars worldwide last year, less than in the previous year but slightly more than in 2020. However, since the coronavirus year 2020, total global production has increased significantly, reaching almost 78.5 million vehicles last year, an increase of around 11 million.
The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) explained in "Automobilwoche" that it is normal for market shares to fluctuate with model cycles. However, the declining share of the Germans also reflects a fundamental change in the car industry.
"Where German manufacturers are traditionally strong, such as in Europe, their shares are growing less dynamically," said VDA economist Manuel Kallweit. However, he emphasized that the market share of German manufacturers in the USA is greater today than it was a few years ago.
