UK: Every fourth new car is electric
The UK new car market posted its strongest June since 2019, with registrations rising 6.7% to 191,316 units, according to the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Battery-electric vehicle registrations surged by 39.1% to 47,354 units, capturing a 24.8% market share. Plug-in hybrid registrations rose 28.8% to 21,382 units, while hybrid electric vehicles fell by 8.5% to 23,835 units.
Petrol registrations declined by 4.2% and diesel remained flat (+0.2%), leaving internal combustion engine vehicles at just over half the market (51.6%). Overall, electrified vehicle registrations reached a 48.5% share in June.
Only two electric cars made the Top ten of cars sold in the UK in June. The Tesla Model Y takes the third spot with 4,181 units sold, and the Tesla Model 3 is in sixth place with 3,538 units. Looking at the year to date, no EV made the list.
Across the first half of 2025, BEV registrations have risen 34.6% to 224,841 units. Despite this strong growth, BEV market share so far this year, at 21.6%, remains significantly below the 28% required under the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate. According to SMMT, manufacturers have spent more than £6.5 billion since regulation commenced to sustain EV demand through discounting and tactical channel use.
Call for government incentives
A SMMT survey of automotive CEOs revealed that 55% believe the UK is significantly behind schedule to meet the 2030 ban on pure combustion cars. The lack of government purchase incentives and charging infrastructure support, coupled with fiscal disincentives such as the Expensive Car Supplement – expected to cost BEV buyers £360 million this year alone – continues to hamper private consumer demand.
“A second consecutive month of growth for the new car market is good news, as is the positive performance of EVs,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive. However, he warned that EV uptake “is still being driven by substantial industry support with manufacturers using every channel and unsustainable discounting to drive activity, yet it remains below mandated levels. As we have seen in other countries, government incentives can supercharge the market transition, without which the climate change ambitions we all share will be under threat.”
The SMMT has urged the government to remove ECS from BEVs and cut VAT on electric vehicles and public charging for three years, arguing this could add 267,000 extra BEVs to UK roads and save six million tonnes of CO₂ annually while boosting competitiveness in electric mobility.
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