Millionth plug-in EV hits UK roads

One million plug-in electric vehicles have now been registered in the UK, official figures have revealed.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that a total of 1,002,157 registrations of battery electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) have been made since January 2010.

Close to a quarter of these occurred in the first nine months of 2022.

Electric vehicle uptake continued to rise in September, albeit at a slower rate of growth than seen earlier in the year.

Last month saw the second highest monthly volume of BEV registrations in history, at 38,116 units. However, registrations of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) declined by over a tenth to 12,281 units.

Overall, plug-in vehicles accounted for more than one in five new cars joining UK roads in September.

Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) registrations, meanwhile, grew by 16.5 per cent to 29,088 units in the month.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “September has seen Britain’s millionth electric car reach the road – an important milestone in the shift to zero emission mobility. Battery electric vehicles make up but a small fraction of cars on the road, so we need to ensure every lever is pulled to encourage motorists to make the shift if our green goals are to be met.

“The overall market remains weak, however, as supply chain issues continue to constrain model availability. While the industry is working hard to address these issues, the long-term recovery of the market also depends on robust consumer confidence and economic stability.”

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

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