Sales of used electric vehicles rose 40 per cent in last quarter, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data shows, even as sales of new EVs slowed.

One in ten cars sold on the second-hand market in Q2 was electrified, with hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) transactions increasing by 27.7 per cent to 100,127 units and owning five per cent of the market.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) were also up by 10.3 per cent to 24,370 units, and a market share of 1.2 per cent.

Full EV transactions showed the strongest growth, up 40 per cent to record 68,721 units and account for 3.4 per cent of the market.

It does raise the prospect of there being a shortage of EVs on the second-hand market in future, however, and demand outstripping supply. The SMMT noted that further growth will hinge on measures to drive uptake in the new car market, including rapid rollout of the new Electric Car Grant and accelerated development of the UK’s charging network, saying “both [being] crucial to assuring plentiful long-term supply into the used sector and building consumer confidence”.

---