Electric cars in the UK are taking a growing share of the new car market. In the first nine months of 2026, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) took 26.2% of new car registrations, up from 22.1% in the same period of 2025, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). September 2026 brought a record monthly volume of 99,201 BEVs, a 28.3% share, while the Electric Car Grant and the ZEV mandate shape the market around them.
There are now over 2 million licensed zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) on UK roads, according to DfT licensing statistics. The rules are shifting too: electric cars now pay road tax, the mandate is under review, and charging provision still varies widely by region.
How the market is shifting
The numbers show the pace of change. In 2025 the UK registered 2,020,520 new cars, the first year above two million since the pandemic. SMMT counted 473,348 BEV registrations, up 23.9% on 2024 and a 23.4% market share. Official DfT licensing data, on a slightly different basis, put the ZEV share of new car registrations at 22.8%. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) grew 34.7%, the fastest-growing powertrain, while petrol’s share fell to 46.4%.
The momentum continued into 2026. SMMT figures show 350,536 new cars registered in September 2026, a 12.0% rise on a year earlier. BEVs reached a record 99,201 units, a 28.3% share, and PHEVs took 17.0%. Most new cars still have a combustion engine of some kind: petrol held 37.6%, diesel 4.0% and full hybrids 13.1%.
SMMT says 178 BEV models were on sale in the UK in September 2026, more than double the number in 2023.
The rules: ZEV mandate and the 2030 deadline
The legal framework behind the switch is the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. Since January 2024, manufacturers have had to make a minimum share of their new car and van sales zero emission each year. The headline car targets are 22% in 2024, 28% in 2025, 33% in 2026, 38% in 2027 and 80% in 2030, rising to 100% by 2035 (targets after 2030 are indicative and not yet legislated).
The effective requirement is lower than the headline, because until 2029 manufacturers can use flexibilities: converting over-compliance on CO2 into ZEV credits, borrowing from future years, banking surpluses and trading. Changes announced in April 2025 (legislated in October 2025) widened these. The CO2 conversion cap for cars rose from 45% to 90% in 2025 and from 25% to 80% in 2026, stepping down to 50% by 2029; borrowing was extended to 2029; and fines were cut from £15,000 to £12,000 per car and from £18,000 to £15,000 per van. In 2024 the market achieved 19.8% ZEV sales but an “equivalent” 24.5% using flexibilities, beating the 22% target.
The government is now reviewing the mandate. Its consultation opened on 14 August 2026 and closes at 11:59pm on 23 October 2026. It covers the trajectory, flexibilities and how to define the 2030 phase-out. The ministerial foreword calls the 2030 and 2035 commitments “unwavering”, but the outcome of the review is not yet known.
The 2030 and 2035 phase-out
Current policy, set out in the government’s April 2025 response, has two key dates:
- 2030: the end of sales of new cars that rely solely on petrol or diesel. New full hybrids and plug-in hybrids can still be sold until 2035.
- 2035: all new cars and vans must be fully zero emission.
Vans have no technology definition after 2030, so new petrol and diesel vans can still be sold until 2035. Small volume manufacturers are exempt from the 2030 phase-out, while micro volume manufacturers are fully exempt until 2035. The dates apply to new sales only, not used cars.
Real-world examples and government support
The Electric Car Grant (ECG), which opened on 15 July 2025, runs until 31 March 2030 and is described by the government as a £2 billion scheme. It offers up to £3,750 off “Band 1” cars and up to £1,500 off “Band 2” cars. The dealer applies it as a discount; buyers do not apply themselves.
To qualify, a car must have a list price of £37,000 or less, at least 100 miles of range, a 3-year/60,000-mile vehicle warranty, an 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty and meet minimum sustainability criteria. Dozens of models are eligible, including the Sunderland-built Nissan LEAF, which qualifies for the top discount; the list changes often, so check GOV.UK. By August 2026 more than 160,000 drivers had used the grant, according to DfT.
Charging infrastructure is expanding, though unevenly. DfT counted 121,171 public EV chargers in the UK at 1 July 2026, 28,887 of them rated 50 kW or above. Zapmap, counting on a different basis, recorded 124,738 chargers at the end of September 2026. London has the highest density at 345.1 chargers per 100,000 people, Northern Ireland the lowest at 60.0. At 1 April 2026 there was about one public charger for every 17 BEVs.
How clean an EV runs depends on the electricity behind it, and in Britain that increasingly means wind turbines and solar power.
What the numbers say: costs and emissions
Since 1 April 2025, electric cars have paid Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). For cars registered from 1 April 2017, a new zero emission car pays a £10 first-year rate, then the standard rate, currently £200 a year. An expensive car supplement of £440 a year for five years applies from the second time the car is taxed; for electric cars the list price threshold was raised to £50,000 at Budget 2025, but the rules depend on registration date, so check GOV.UK.
Further ahead, the government has confirmed a pay-per-mile charge, Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), due to start on 1 April 2028: 3p per mile for electric cars and 1.5p for plug-in hybrids, on top of normal VED. It still needs primary legislation, which had not been passed as of October 2026. The government estimates an average EV driving 8,000 miles a year would pay £240 in eVED, against about £480 in fuel duty for a petrol or diesel car.
On emissions, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) analysed medium-size cars sold in the EU in 2025. Published summaries of its July 2025 study put battery electric cars at about 63 g CO2e/km over their life, against about 235 g for petrol cars, roughly 73% lower. Building the battery adds a “carbon debt” that the study says is paid back after about 17,000 km, typically within one to two years of driving. Renewables supplied 52.1% of UK electricity generation in 2025, so UK savings are likely at least as large, though no UK-specific figure is available. You can see the live GB electricity mix and carbon intensity on our site.
Battery costs are falling too. DfT’s review cites BloombergNEF data showing the global average EV battery pack price fell to a record low of $108/kWh in December 2025.
Limitations and honest assessment
The switch has friction. SMMT estimates the industry spent more than £5 billion discounting BEVs in 2025, about £11,000 per car, and calls this “clearly unsustainable”.
Charging access is uneven. London is well served, while Northern Ireland has the fewest chargers per head and the fewest rapid chargers; Scotland leads on rapid chargers per head. DfT estimates drivers who do all their charging at home can save around £1,400 a year and pay as little as 2p per mile off-peak (its January 2026 analysis, 2025 prices). Actual savings depend on your tariff and mileage, and public rapid charging costs much more per mile.
Beyond cars, e-bikes are legal on roads and cycle paths if the motor’s continuous rated power is no more than 250 W, it cuts out above 15.5 mph and the rider is 14 or over. Private e-scooters remain illegal on public roads. The only legal way to ride one there is a rental scheme in an official trial area in England; the trials began in 2020 and are now due to end in May 2028. No legislation creating a new e-scooter vehicle class has been passed.
The UK angle: why it matters locally
DfT’s review, citing ACEA data, says the UK had the largest EV share of any major European market (ahead of Germany, France and Italy) in 2024 and 2025. In 2025 it sold over 470,000 new electric cars, the second-highest volume in Europe.
The UK also faces the tax side of electrification. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts fuel duty receipts falling to about half their current level in real terms in the 2030s. eVED shifts electric car taxation towards distance driven, and the government says about 80% of its revenue in the first three years will be reinvested in EV support.
Frequently asked questions
What share of new cars sold in the UK are electric in 2026?
SMMT figures show battery electric cars took 26.2% of new car registrations in January to September 2026. In September 2026 the share was 28.3%, with a record 99,201 BEVs registered.
Is the UK still banning new petrol and diesel cars in 2030, and can I buy a hybrid after that?
Under current policy, yes. From 2030 new cars relying solely on petrol or diesel can no longer be sold, but new full hybrids and plug-in hybrids can be sold until 2035. Used cars are not affected. The ZEV mandate review closes on 23 October 2026 and its outcome is not yet known.
How does the Electric Car Grant work and which cars qualify?
It gives up to £3,750 off Band 1 cars and up to £1,500 off Band 2 cars, applied by the dealer as a discount. Cars must cost £37,000 or less, have at least 100 miles of range and meet warranty and sustainability criteria. It runs until 31 March 2030.
Do electric cars pay road tax, and what is the new pay-per-mile charge from 2028?
Since April 2025 electric cars pay VED: £10 in the first year, then the standard rate, currently £200 a year. eVED, at 3p per mile for electric cars, is due to start on 1 April 2028 on top of VED, but the law has not yet been passed.
How many public chargers are there in the UK?
DfT counted 121,171 public EV chargers at 1 July 2026, about one for every 17 BEVs. Zapmap recorded 124,738 at the end of September 2026.
Are electric cars really greener once you count battery manufacturing?
ICCT analysis of cars sold in the EU in 2025 puts lifecycle emissions of battery electric cars about 73% below petrol cars. The extra emissions from making the battery are typically paid back within one to two years of driving.