The Volkswagen Group was the original "pivot to electric cars" company. But it also became the poster child for just how difficult that transition would be.
Now, after years of delays, headaches, corporate overhauls and shifting strategies, its EV game seems to be cooking pretty hard—and it's taking advantage of the increasing unpopularity of the onetime leader in this space.
That kicks off today's edition of Critical Materials, our morning roundup of industry and technology news. Also on deck today: now is a very, very good time to buy an EV, in case you didn't know, and Mercedes-Benz's High-Power Charging arm plans a big rollout across America's malls. Let's dig in.
30%: Volkswagen Group Surges To 49% Of German EV Market, Global EV Sales Now Up 50%
Score one for "legacy auto." The VW Group's first-half sales data is in, and the beginning of 2025 has been very good for its electric strategy. According to Europe's DPA International News Service, VW's share of the electric market in Germany—Europe's biggest auto sector—is up to 49% now, an increase from 32% in the same period last year.
Granted, the VW Group has a lot of brands across a lot of price points, so it's no surprise that it's ahead of the combined BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce operation. VW's brands occupied first, third, fourth and fifth place.
However, it is indicative of how far Tesla has fallen in Germany, going from second place a year ago to eighth place now. That same reporting agency indicates Tesla sold a mere 1,860 cars in Germany in June alone, which is blamed on both more choices in the EV market and CEO Elon Musk's continued unpopularity after his backing of far-right political groups in that country.
The EV market in Europe continues to grow at an impressive pace, making up 15% of new car sales for much of 2025 so far. The VW Group's selection of EVs, which span cheaper city cars to more expensive luxury and performance models, offer buyers a lot of options.
Even 36% of Porsche's first-half sales were EVs and plug-in hybrids. As our sister site Motor1 reported yesterday, the all-electric Porsche Macan—now the only Macan due to various regulations—is proving to be a strong seller there too.
Here's what VW had to say about the trend:
The Volkswagen Group continues to have strong momentum thanks to many newly launched models. This applies especially to all-electric vehicles, with global deliveries up by around 50% in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. This trend was particularly strong in Europe, with growth of around 90%. One in five of the vehicles we delivered in Western Europe is now purely electric.
VW had similarly positive news in the first quarter of 2025. We'll see if it can keep this momentum going.
60%: Now Is The Time To Buy An EV In America
Meanwhile, here in America, the new and used EV tax credits are officially going away on Sept. 30 thanks to the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill. We'll be unpacking the effects of that move for a long time, but for now, if you want one, get moving. Here's the Wall Street Journal:
A Hyundai dealership in New Jersey is hyping a $169-a-month lease on its Ioniq 6 sedan, which carries a sticker price of about $38,000, making it far less expensive than a comparably priced lease on its gasoline-burning models.
Kia will lease its small Niro EV SUV for as little as $129 a month.
And a GMC dealership in Indiana touts the Hummer EV—with a $100,000 sticker price—for a monthly lease payment of $650, similar to the monthly payment for a gas-powered car that costs half as much to buy.
[...] Some drivers may be motivated to buy or lease an EV before fall, but analysts aren’t expecting a groundswell of interest. That is because making the leap to an EV can be daunting because of the cost of home chargers and the lack of a robust charging infrastructure in many U.S. cities and along major highways. Many carmakers including Ford, BMW and Hyundai are trying to allay these worries with deals for free home-charger installation or offers to cover the cost of charging at a public station.
Check out our list of monthly deals if you need some guidance, and our selection of the best used EVs to buy in 2025.
90%: Mercedes-Benz To Charge Up Your Shopping Experience
Meanwhile, more and more charging providers and even automakers aren't slowing down on fixing one of the biggest roadblocks to EV adoption: charging. Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging, the German automaker's charging arm, announced a new initiative to bring more than 500 fast-charging stalls to open-air malls owned by real estate giant Federal Realty. (That's called "knowing your audience.")
Here's what the companies had to say:
The collaboration establishes the foundation for a scalable rollout, expected to bring more than 500 ultra-fast charging stalls to at least 50 of Federal Realty's premier open-air retail destinations in its national portfolio.
The initial rollout includes 20 of the selected sites, including Camelback Colonnade in Phoenix, AZ; Lawrence Park Shopping Center in Broomall, PA; and Shops at Pembroke Gardens in Pembroke Pines, FL. Each location will feature up to 10 charging stalls with 400 kW charging speeds, accessible to all drivers regardless of vehicle brand, with the first locations expected to come online in 2026.
These chargers will work with both CCS-1 and NACS-equipped EVs, and will come online in 2026.
100%: If You Bought An EV Right Now, What Would It Be?
Used Hyundai Ioniq 6 prices are still a little higher than I'd like, but man, am I tempted. It never got a ton of love in America when they were new, but it's still a 300-plus-mile EV sedan that isn't a Tesla. Trust me when I say I have alerts set up on all the car-buying websites.
What would you go for if you had to shop before the tax credits end? Or rather, what are you looking at right now?
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
