Electric vehicle (EV) sales in the UK have hit a new milestone, taking up over 20% of the market share for three months straight, according to recent reports.
In October, EVs claimed 20.8% of the market, making them the fastest-growing type of vehicle as the country drives toward its zero-emissions target. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported that battery electric vehicles were the only powertrain to see growth, with a 24.5% increase, capturing a 20.7% share of the market.
Despite the overall UK car market dropping by 6% in October to just over 144,000 registrations—a hit of about £350 million—EV adoption is booming. European brands led the charge in October’s EV sales, with Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Peugeot, Audi, and Skoda achieving between 18% and 30% of their total sales from EVs.
Interestingly, brands like Renault and Ford, which had previously lagged in EV sales, outperformed Tesla in October. Honda also showed a strong presence, with 32% of its sales being electric.
Ben Nelmes, CEO of New AutoMotive, highlighted the shift, saying: "Electric car sales are going from strength to strength in the UK. This is the result of the efforts and investment made by forward-thinking carmakers, who are delivering cheaper, cleaner transport for all."
There are now over 125 battery electric vehicle (BEV) models available in the UK—a 38% increase in options over the last 10 months. But while EVs are thriving, petrol cars are on the decline, with sales down 14% in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Petrol and diesel vehicles have now held less than a 40% market share for the second month running.
The SMMT clarified that overall car sales have actually grown by 3.5% over the year, debunking rumours of a slow market. However, petrol and diesel sales continued to fall, with petrol dropping by 14.2% and diesel by 20.5%. Even hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) experienced small declines, dropping by 1.6% and 3.2% respectively, underscoring the steady move toward EVs as the preferred choice.
As nearly 300,000 new BEVs have hit UK roads in 2024, the EV market share has climbed to 18.1%, though still below this year’s target of 22% and next year’s goal of 28% under the Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme.
SMMT’s CEO, Mike Hawes, emphasised the "Massive manufacturer investment in model choice and market support is helping make the UK the second largest EV market in Europe. That transition, however, must not perversely slow down the reduction of carbon emissions from road transport."
He added: "Without the Government support to match the manufacturers' commitment, there must be an urgent review of the market's performance and the regulatory mechanisms driving the transition."
A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson commented, “We are absolutely committed to delivering greener transport by supporting the transition to electric vehicles.“
"Today’s figures are excellent news, showing that electric vehicle sales in October are up a quarter compared to this time last year. With a market share of almost 21 per cent, the UK is now the second largest electric vehicle market in Europe. We will continue to support industry and consumers to make the switch, with over £300million announced in the Budget to support uptake.”
