January’s new car sales show that plug-in cars (BEVs and PHEVs) accounted for nearly one-third of all registrations, according to new data published by New Automotive.
Battery electric vehicles made up 20.9% of new car registrations in January, easing slightly compared with January 2025 following a very strong end to last year. This pattern reflects delivery timing and early-year seasonality rather than a change in underlying demand. Petrol and diesel sales continued to absorb the adjustment, falling 18% and 17%, compared with January 2025, respectively.
PHEVs were the standout performer in the month, with registrations rising 27% compared with last January, and market share reaching 11.9%. This growth is consistent with recent changes to the ZEV Mandate, under which PHEVs can play a role in reducing the effective BEV share required in a given year. As a result, early-year PHEV growth is best understood as a product of compliance dynamics rather than a shift away from full electrification.
The electric van market also started 2026 on a positive footing. Battery electric vans reached a record January market share of 10.6%, the highest ever recorded for the month, despite overall van registrations remaining subdued. This comes as the ZEV Mandate for vans enters a more demanding phase in 2026, with manufacturers beginning to adjust their sales strategies accordingly. While diesel continues to dominate the segment, January’s results underline steady progress and point to further growth as the year unfolds.
Ben Nelmes, CEO at New AutoMotive, said:
“It is great to see the UK car market continuing to lead the charge to electrification, with one in three drivers opting for a car with a plug in January.
“The ZEV mandate continues to drive progress, making it cheaper and easier for motorists to go electric. Changes to the mandate last year have given car makers significant flexibility in how they meet the targets, and we are starting to see the impact of those changes.
“Ministers should celebrate the UK’s impressive progress, and be confident that our EV targets are a happy marriage of ambition and pragmatism.”
Delvin Lane, CEO, InstaVolt said:
“Electric vehicle technology has moved incredibly quickly in the last few years. The cars are better, the ranges are longer, charging is faster, and the driving experience is on another level: the obvious upgrade for many motorists.
“At the same time, the UK’s public charging network is growing at real pace, with more rapid hubs, more on-street options, and greater reliability. That momentum matters because confidence follows visibility.
“And the global direction of travel is clear. Petrol is declining, diesel is dropping away even faster, and electrification is steadily taking a larger share of the market.
“As access improves and more drivers experience the technology first hand, many will realise that for everyday motoring, an EV is not just the cleaner option, it is the better one.”
Tanya Sinclair, CEO, Electric Vehicles UK said:
“Battery electric registrations may have softened slightly in January, while plug-in hybrids rose on the back of discounting, but the bigger story is simpler. Petrol cars have slumped sharply year on year.
“British consumers are still moving towards cars with plugs, and away from those without. Month to month BEV figures can be volatile, especially after an unusually strong December and as manufacturers manage their early year product mix and compliance pathways.
“The job now is confidence. Drivers want clarity, consistency, and a market that feels stable. Policy that flip flops only makes that harder, when the direction of travel is already clear.”
Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, said:
“Despite strong growth in EV adoption, with nearly one in four new cars sold last year being electric, the latest figures reinforce the need to continue to do more to encourage drivers to switch.
“Our research shows upfront cost, the high cost of public charging, and people’s experiences are chargepoints remain major barriers: 60% of EV drivers saying their vehicle was more expensive to buy than a petrol or diesel vehicle, and half of those without driveways saying they are finding their cars more expensive to run. While we welcome the Government’s initiatives to tackle these issues, it is clear that further urgent action is needed. Without stronger signals to drivers that these are the right cars to buy, and better-targeted incentives at the right moment, many drivers will continue to be priced out of switching to electric.”
Colin Walker, Head of Transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said:
“After a record breaking 2025 for EV sales, and a December in which EVs accounted for one in three new cars sold, it shows how high the bar has risen that a market share of over 20% in January may be considered by some to be a little underwhelming. The reality is that EVs still accounted for more than one in five new cars sold and, if 2024 and 2025 are anything to go by, sales will increase as the year progresses.
“Petrol cars drivers pay a ‘petrol premium’ of £1200 [1] a year compared to an EV, taking into account the 3p per mile tax on EVs from 2028. But mixed signals from Government risk creating confusion and holding people back from making the switch to cheaper electric driving, particularly with changes to the ZEV Mandate that could incentivise the sale of PHEVs – which consume 490% more fuel than their manufacturers claim, costing almost £1000 a year more than EVs to own and run [2] – at the expense of EVs. New EV sales matter in part because after a few years they hit the second-hand market and could offer millions of households the chance to save thousands of pounds on driving if enough of them are available.
“There are now over 1.8 million EVs on the UK’s roads, [3] increasingly powered by electrons generated by British wind and solar farms. The country’s charging infrastructure is receiving billions in private investment, while more and more EVs are beginning to roll off British production lines – from the electric Mini in Oxford, to the Nissan Leaf in Sunderland, and the new electric Jags and Land Rovers set to emerge from the West Midlands.”
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“Britain’s new car market is building back momentum after a challenging start to the decade. It is also decarbonising more rapidly than ever and, despite a January dip in EV market share, the signs point to growth by the end of the year. The pace of the transition, however, may be slowing and is certainly behind mandated targets.
“With sales of new pure petrol and diesel cars planned to end in less than four years, there needs to be a comprehensive review of the transition now, to ensure ambition can match reality.”
Image courtesy of Green Car Guide.
