Demand for battery electric vehicles (BEV) rose 23.2% to 97,625 units in Q3 of 2026, as sustained investment in new vehicle models continued to filter through to the used market, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The UK’s used car market continued to grow in Q3, up 0.5% as 2,030,619 vehicles changed hands. The performance is the strongest Q3 since 2021, with year to date, the market has grown 0.3% to 6,056,169 transactions – the best first three quarters since 2019.
Around one in 20 used car buyers (4.8%) chose an EV, up from 3.9% in the same period last year. Year to date, used battery electric car transactions have risen 39.6% to 295,524 units.
Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales also grew strongly in Q3, rising 25.9% to 135,204 units and increasing market share to 6.7%, up from 5.3% a year ago.
The SMMT added that accelerating the used market’s EV transition depends on a “healthy new car market” and manufacturers were “investing heavily in new models and offers to boost uptake, broadening future choice for used buyers”.
But it added that discounting to meet the ZEV Mandate “puts significant pressure on trade-in values, discouraging renewal and slowing the flow of vehicles into the used market”, and called for reforming the Mandate to “reflect market realities would support a more sustainable transition and protect choice for new and used buyers”.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“Another quarter of growth means Britain’s used car market remains on course for its best year since the Covid-19 pandemic. Long-term investment in new models is broadening choice for used car buyers, while growth in new EVs is driving a surge in second-hand uptake.
“To sustain this progress and make zero emission mobility possible for all motorists, the new car market must remain strong, underpinned by measures that boost EV demand – including affordable and widely accessible charging infrastructure and compelling fiscal incentives.”
Image courtesy of Green Car Guide
