In 2023, car sales increased in Germany, but those of electric cars increased very little.

Germany is the largest European car market, in addition to having the largest car manufacturers on the continent, and can provide guidance on future trends in that market.

According to the data that has been published on cars sold in 2023, 2.8 million cars were sold in Germany, with an increase of 7.3% compared to 2022. And the sales that increased the most were sales of cars powered by fossil fuels, which may seem incomprehensible taking into account the challenge we have of the Climate Crisis.

Some experts justify this result with the end of subsidies for the purchase of electric cars, but I think it goes deeper than that.

I think it is because as a Society we have not assimilated that we must change our paradigm, including the type of car to use, and that should be non-polluting.

Whatever politicians say in high-level meetings, in Europe and especially in Germany, the market for fossil fuel cars is supported with total determination, which produces great profits for their companies, and maintains many thousands of jobs. It is a totally short-term vision in which we will see where it takes us.

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In a short time we will see that Chinese electric cars will have gained an important share of the European car market, and European manufacturers will dedicate themselves to complaining and asking their rulers for “help”.

None will admit that they have been asleep during the good times, and that other more “awake” competitors have eaten part of their pie.

This is the general story of companies, when they do well they tend to live very calmly, and do not take into account the competitors that come from behind them and that one day could displace them from their privileged position.

European car manufacturers have worked well for 100 years, developing a world-leading industry. But when the change to the electric car arrived, they did not wake up on time, something that others in some Asian countries have done.

In the end, time puts everyone in their place, and in general each person receives what they deserve. And it remains to be seen where the European automotive industry will end up in the future.