Used electric cars are one of the biggest flows of vehicles into Denmark. In 2025 the import of used cars broke every record, almost all of them electric, and most of them coming by truck from the south. Here are the numbers, and what they mean for anyone moving cars into Denmark.
How many used cars does Denmark import?
Denmark imported 84,931 used cars in 2025, the highest number ever, according to bilstatistik.dk. In 2024 the figure was 70,010. The growth is almost entirely electric:
| Year | Used cars imported | Of which electric |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 70,010 | 59,628 (about 85%) |
| 2025 | 84,931 | more than 90% |
Sources: Motorstyrelsen data via DR (2024), bilstatistik.dk (2025). Different bodies count imports slightly differently, so other sources give somewhat different totals.
How important are used imports for the EV market?
Very. Statistics Denmark counts 78,100 imported used EVs in 2025, against 126,400 new EVs registered. Put together, more than one in three electric cars added to Danish roads in 2025 was a used import. In 2024 the figures were 60,100 used imports against 89,000 new.
And they are young cars: the imported used EVs were 2.4 years old on average in 2025, up from 2.2 years in 2024.
Why is the trade so big?
Two things drive it. Denmark’s registration tax on electric cars is still only partly phased in, so a nearly new EV bought abroad can be competitive once it is registered here. And there has been a large supply of young used EVs elsewhere in Europe, especially in Germany after its EV purchase subsidy ended in December 2023.
The registration tax on electric cars rises again on 1 January 2027, which changes the maths for imports registered after New Year. Read what the 2027 tax increase means for importers.
Where do the cars come from?
Germany is the main source by a wide margin. Danish reporting also names France, Sweden, Italy and Spain as common origins. We have not found an official breakdown by country, so treat the order after Germany as indicative.
Most of these cars arrive the same way: on car transporters, seven or eight at a time. See our guides to car transport from Germany to Denmark and the routes we cover.
Which used EVs are imported most?
Volkswagen Group models dominate. In bilstatistik.dk figures for the first months of 2025, the most imported used EVs were:
- Volkswagen ID.3
- Volkswagen ID.4
- Skoda Enyaq
- Mercedes-Benz EQA
- Mini 3-door
Tesla, by contrast, made up only a small share of used imports, according to FDM. That mirrors the new car market, where Volkswagen Group also leads: see the best-selling cars in Denmark.
What does it mean for importers?
- Buy in batches. Seven or eight cars from one region fill a truck and keep the transport cost per car down. See why full truck loads.
- Plan around tax dates. Registration, not purchase, decides which year’s tax applies.
- Use the marketplace on regular lanes, and a transport order when you want it handled. Here is the difference.
Sources
- bilstatistik.dk: the 2025 car year.
- Statistics Denmark: new and imported used EVs 2025.
- Statistics Denmark: new and imported used EVs 2024.
- DR: record imports of used EVs.
- AutoBranchen Danmark: used car sales 2025.
- Bilmagasinet: most imported used EVs.
- FDM: VW vs Tesla in used imports.
Frequently asked questions
How many used cars did Denmark import in 2025?
84,931 used cars, according to bilstatistik.dk, an all-time record. More than 90% were electric.
Where do Denmark’s imported used EVs come from?
Mainly Germany. Other common source countries mentioned in Danish reporting are France, Sweden, Italy and Spain. We have not found an official breakdown by country.
Which used EVs are imported most?
Volkswagen Group EVs lead: in early 2025, the VW ID.3 and ID.4 were the most imported, followed by the Skoda Enyaq, Mercedes EQA and Mini.
Written by the Haulio team in Copenhagen. We run a car transport marketplace for Europe, primarily in and out of the Nordics, and write about what we see on it every day.
