Nearly one in three cars sold was electric as EV sales reached a new record in October.

The UK’s EV market again impressed in October with a total of 49,155 new EVs were registered, up 54 per cent on last year and taking a 32 per cent share of registrations as buyers respond to growing model choice and compelling offers.

EVs were the most popular fuel type for the month and overall, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric (EV) cars accounted for all of the growth. PHEV registrations rose 30 per cent to take a 15 per cent market share. Hybrid (HEV) volumes declined for a second month, down 5 per cent but, together, electrified cars accounted for almost six in 10 registrations.

More than 522,000 EVs have now been registered in 2026 with EVs accounting for 26.5 per cent of registrations year to date and with two months to run. The EV share is expected to total 27.2 per cent this year against the 33 per cent ZEV Mandate target, according to the latest market outlook from the SMMT. The gap is also set to widen next year with a 32 per cent share expected against a 38 per cent target. By 2028, EV share is expected to reach 37.5 per cent, nearly 15 percentage points behind the required 52 per cent, more than double this year’s shortfall.

There are now 180 EV models to the current market, offering an average range in excess of 300 miles on a single charge. Kia was the UK’s best-selling electric brand in October, with 3,414 registrations. BMW, Volkswagen and BYD followed, while Tesla remains the market leader year to date, accounting for 9.5 per cent of all BEV registrations.

October was another strong month for electric vans too, with 3,376 EVs registered, up 53.3 per cent on October last year, taking their year-to-date market share to 11.1 per cent.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive commented: “Almost one in three new cars registered in October was electric, great progress in the transition, but one that comes at enormous cost. The industry and government are spending billions to help drivers switch, but that support cannot be sustained indefinitely with the gap to mandated targets set to more than double by 2028, just as a new EV-only tax is introduced. Higher targets may force supply, but they do not create demand.”

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