EVs now make up nearly 30% of market share as experts say “now is the right time to go electric”.
UK car sales have logged their strongest August since the introduction of the biannual plate change in 1999, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures show.
Registrations of new cars as a whole in the UK rose 13.7% to 94,236 in August, industry data showed on Friday.
The latest data from SMMT also shows that the market share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rose to about 30% in August – nearly a third.
BEVs have shown a 27.7% year-on-year growth – it now has a 29.8% market share in 2026 versus 26.5% in 2025.
When you add BEVs and HEVs (hybrid EVs), that’s 42.6% – higher than petrol market share at 38.3%.
The most popular EV was the Tesla Model 3, with 1,296 sales. The Tesla Model Y, with 884 sales, is the second most popular EV.
While the Vauxhall Frontera 875 and Jaecoo E5 are third and fourth with 875 and 855 sales respectively.
For consumers considering the switch to electric, the market offerings are highly compelling, SMMT says.
Drivers can choose from more than 170 zero emission models across every segment, supported by generous manufacturer incentives and government support.
Switch
Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, said: “August was a bright spot for the new car market and another strong month for electric car uptake, showing that motorists are responding to the huge choice and compelling offers available. But August is a low-volume month, so September will be the acid test.
“The industry is doing everything it can to help drivers switch, but mandate targets must be grounded in the reality of demand. Government’s review is the right move so we can ensure the transition is kept on track, consumer choice protected and the jobs and investment necessary to deliver net zero and economic growth are safeguarded.
Matas Buzelis, motoring expert at carVertical, said switching to electric is a more realistic option now.
He added: “Electric cars accounting for around three in 10 new registrations is significant. Drivers now have a much wider choice of EVs at different price points, while greater competition between manufacturers is helping to make switching to electric a more realistic option.
“Incentives both from the government and manufacturers are helping to make EVs more affordable, particularly on finance deals, which are often being offered with lower interest rates.
“A larger pool of electric cars will eventually give second-hand buyers greater choice and potentially put further pressure on used EV prices to stay competitive.
“However, motorists shouldn’t assume that a newer car automatically means a trouble-free history. Nearly-new vehicles can still have been damaged, repaired or used intensively before reaching the second-hand market.
“As more EVs filter through to the used market, buyers should leave no car unchecked, comparing their options carefully and looking into a vehicle’s history rather than making a decision based on age or price alone.”
James Hosking, Managing Director of AA Cars, said discounts and incentives are being offered to boost EV sales.
He added: “The strongest August for new car registrations since twice-yearly plate changes were introduced, extends the market’s run of growth to nine consecutive months and provides further evidence of a sustained recovery in demand.
“The summer is traditionally a quieter period for new car registrations, as many buyers hold off for September’s new number plate. Continuing to make progress despite the seasonal lull is an encouraging sign of the market’s underlying resilience.
“BEV registrations rose by 27.7%, taking market share to 29.8% compared to 26.5% market share in 2025. The direction of travel is clear, but the key question for the industry is how much of this demand can be sustained without the discounts and incentives currently being offered to boost EV sales.
“Manufacturers continue to expand their range of EVs as the market works towards the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate. Greater choice and increasingly competitive prices are helping to broaden the appeal of electric cars, while continued improvements in charging infrastructure should give more motorists the confidence to make the switch.
“The shift to electric is becoming increasingly visible in the used market, with a wider choice of EVs within reach of more motorists. For many buyers, a used EV could offer the most practical and affordable route to making the switch.”
Confidence
Richard Michie, CEO and Founder at Leeds-based The Marketing Optimist, said he won’t go back to a petrol car after being converted to an EV driver.
He added: “I switched to EV three years ago. At first I was worried about range and changing points, not as worried as my partner though, who was convinced we’d run out of battery constantly. Driving it made everything much clearer. We are learning to plan our journeys with a stop to recharge, grab a loo break and some food.
“Once you do this you find that charging points are everywhere. So we’ve happily driven from Leeds to Brighton and right around rural Wales with no worries at all. We had charging points installed at home too so we were saving loads on fuel costs and dodging petrol price volatility totally. There’s no way I’d go back to a petrol car now. Now is the right time to go electric.”
Kate Underwood, Founder & Chief People Strategist at Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training, said much of the rise in EV sales could be due to businesses buying them up.
He added: “Salary sacrifice EVs have gone mad. People ask for it by name in interviews now, which never used to happen. It’s gone from a perk nobody understood to one of the few benefits people actually want. The EV boom isn’t happening on forecourts. It’s happening through payroll. It’s the tax that does it.
“Company car tax on an electric car is tiny next to up to 37% on a petrol one. Your staff member gives up a bit of salary, pays less tax and National Insurance, and ends up in a car they couldn’t otherwise afford. The business saves National Insurance too, which is the only good news a small employer has had all year.
“And it’s not just big firms. There are companies that set this up for a business with five staff, no fleet, no HR department. Read the small print on maternity and leavers. That’s where it catches people out.”
