Cars with a plug accounted for all of the growth in the car market this month, as separate figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and New AutoMotive both showing a significant rise year-on-year.
SMMT figures revealed battery-electric vehicle (BEV) deliveries increased by 32.7% to secure 32.0% – their highest share this year. PHEV registrations rose 30.1% to take a 15.0% market share with electrified cars accounting for almost six in 10 (59.0%) registrations.
More than half a million (503,805) BEVs have been registered this year, up 30.4% on a year ago. BEV share is expected to reach 27.2% this year, the SMMT said.
Separate figures by New Automotive revealed a record-breaking month in October, with 49,155 new BEVs registered, up 53.7% on October 2025.
Electric cars accounted for 31.8% of new registrations in their figures, making them the most popular fuel type for the month, ahead of hybrids and petrol.
Electric vans also had a strong month, with 3,376 BEVs registered in October, up 53.3% on last year. Electric vans accounted for 13.2% of registrations, taking their year-to-date market share to 11.1%.
Ben Nelmes, CEO at New AutoMotive, said:
“Almost one in three new cars sold in October was fully electric, more than anyother fuel type, and electric car sales are up by more than half on last year.
“Drivers are voting with their wallets. Every one of those new electric cars means a household spending less on running costs, and a country less exposed to the oil price shock.
“The ZEV mandate is working. With the cost of living at the top of the political agenda, ministers should stick with a policy that is putting cheaper motoring within reach of millions of households.”
Gurjeet Grewal, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, said:
“For the fifth consecutive month, fully electric cars have accounted for around a third of new car sales. Drivers are voting with their feet, attracted by better choice, sharper prices and tech-packed cars.
“To keep the momentum going, Government needs to provide consistent direction while manufacturers keep innovating and bringing affordable EVs for every type of driver. More choice, more competition and better cars will get more people making the switch.”
Toby Poston, CEO of BVRLA, said:
“October’s figures underline just how quickly electric vehicles are becoming a normal part of Britain’s new car market. New registrations tell only half the story. The vehicles entering fleets today will become the affordable used cars of tomorrow. We need a healthy second-hand market, strong residual values and confidence in battery longevity if the transition is to work for businesses and households alike.”
Ginny Buckley, the chief executive of Electrifying.com, said:
“Almost one in three new cars sold in October was fully electric, a milestone worth celebrating and proof that affordable, desirable EVs are winning over British drivers.“
But whether you have a driveway shouldn’t determine whether you can afford to make the switch. The Government continues to impose 20% VAT on public charging while domestic electricity attracts just 5%.
“Drivers are paying more tax to power the same car, making the same journey, simply because of where they live. It’s a stealth tax on those without driveways, a tax on circumstance, not choice. If we’re serious about making electric motoring affordable for everyone, we must close this divide.”
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“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. The ZEV Mandate review must deliver substantive reform effective immediately to ensure we have a healthy market and an attractive pitch to investors.”
Melanie Lane, Chief Executive at Pod, said:
“Even without a major new push for EVs in the Budget, consumers and businesses are still choosing to go electric. A 53% year-on-year increase in BEV registrations is a strong sign that underlying demand is there and the market is building momentum.
“For me, it shows that what really drives the transition is getting the fundamentals right: cost, choice and making electric an easy decision for drivers. The last thing the market needs now is another shifting of the regulatory goalposts by adjusting the ZEV mandate.”
Image courtesy of Green Car Guide
