Sales of electric vehicles up by 55 percent in second half of 2021

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• Roland Berger EV Charging Index: Germany in third place worldwide
• China and the United States lead in charging infrastructure
• Energy management as an attractive market for the future

Munich, June 2022: Electromobility is booming: 55 percent more electric vehicles were sold worldwide in the second half of 2021 alone than in the preceding six months. The number of charging stations around the world has likewise risen sharply and is up by 58 percent. In terms of sales of new electric vehicles, the expansion of charging infrastructure and future market potential, China and the United States are in the lead. Those two countries, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, are the top five in the world. These are the findings of the second edition of the Roland Berger “EV Charging Index”, for which – alongside numerous experts – more than 10,000 customers in 27 countries were surveyed, representing more than 96 percent of global electric vehicle sales.

“Electromobility is a global topic. However, if we examine the various regions, we see a range of different, exciting features,” says Jan-Philipp Hasenberg, Partner at Roland Berger and an author of the study. “Germany has moved into the top group internationally. We are observing clear advances in the charging infrastructure, strong customer interest, state regulation to encourage electromobility and a continuing high level of growth potential in the marketplace.”

In China, which again tops the index, 2.1 million electric vehicles were sold in the second half of 2021 alone. That is almost five times as many as in the United States, the country ranked second. In Germany, customers bought 364,000 electric vehicles. China is also the frontrunner in charging infrastructure.

Electric boom continues
The most important causes of the electric boom are identified in the study as growing acceptance, along with high customer demand that has not yet been satisfied, as well as advances in battery technology, political support programs and CO2 reduction targets. For example, the EU Parliament recently voted in favor of a ban on new cars with combustion engines from 2035 onwards. In addition, the current further increase in fuel prices is influencing consumers to switch to an e-car even earlier.

Yet, problems remain in charging efficiency and there is still a shortage of fast charging stations. Out of those surveyed, 57 percent complained about excessively long charging times, and more than half have doubts about the accuracy of figures for available charging stations. In Germany, however, where 13,000 charging stations were put in operation in the second half of 2021, two-thirds of those surveyed are either satisfied or very satisfied with the situation around charging.

Energy and charging management as a market for the future
In the coming years, the authors foresee continued dynamic expansion of electromobility. They expect charging infrastructure to grow by 15 percent annually between now and 2040. Energy management, as a subject in itself, also shows great potential: solutions in this area could reach a value of USD 6 billion per year by 2030.

“There is a sense of optimism in the market for charging infrastructure and solutions,” Hasenberg says, summarizing the findings. “Providers in established markets, in particular, are actively driving their business forward at a global level. Companies and countries must also not lose momentum in relation to the energy transition and the need to achieve their climate targets. They must continue to act decisively in the field of electromobility.”