Electric car sales in the UK have picked up sharply this year, with fresh figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showing battery electric vehicles taking their biggest bite yet out of the new car market.
In April, the two millionth battery electric car was registered in the UK, with BEV registrations up 59.1% year-on-year and taking a 26.2% share of the month’s new car sales. By June, that momentum had pushed battery electric vehicles to a record 30% market share, as overall new car registrations jumped 11.4% to 213,166 units — the strongest June since 2019.
Much of that growth is being credited to the government’s Electric Car Grant, reintroduced in July 2025. It offers buyers up to £3,750 off new electric cars from manufacturers that meet Science-Based Targets — including models like the Renault 5, Mini Countryman Electric and Ford Puma Gen-E — or £1,500 for other qualifying EVs. The grant applies automatically at the point of sale on new electric cars priced under £37,000, so there’s no separate application needed. Roughly 173,000 cars are expected to be subsidised through the scheme, around half of all EVs sold in the UK last year.
It’s not all plain sailing, though. SMMT figures also show that BEV registrations dipped slightly in July, which the industry body partly put down to buyers waiting to see exactly which models would qualify for the grant. Even so, with plug-in hybrid registrations up 33% in the same month, it’s clear more UK drivers than ever are turning towards electrified motoring.
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Sources:
- Two millionth electric car registered as market rebounds strongly from tax changes – SMMT
- UK EV Market Hits 30% Share as New Car Sales Jump 11.4% – Electric Cars Report
- UK Electric Car Grant 2026 – Save up to £3,750 on Electric Cars – Electroverse
- Electric car grant – all the EVs with discounts in 2026 – The Car Expert
