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Electric car sales in the UK reached an all-time high in September, according to new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Registrations of fully battery-powered vehicles rose by nearly a third to 72,779, while plug-in hybrids grew at an even faster rate. Together, electric and hybrid models accounted for more than half of all new cars sold last month.
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SMMT attributed the surge to carmakers offering discounts, wider model availability, and the rollout of a government-backed grant scheme. The scheme provides up to £3,750 off eligible vehicles priced below £37,000, with 36 models currently qualifying for discounts of at least £1,500.
Although most BEVs – about 71% – were purchased for businesses and fleets, the number of private buyers has been climbing steadily. Zero-emission vehicles now make up 22.1% of all new registrations in 2025 so far.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the push towards electrified vehicles was “powering market growth” after a slow summer, adding that industry investments were delivering results even though consumer demand still lagged behind expectations.
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Overall, 312,887 new vehicles were registered in September, the strongest performance since 2020. The top-selling models were the Kia Sportage, Ford Puma, and Nissan Qashqai, though Chinese entrants like the Jaecoo 7 and BYD Seal U also cracked the top 10.
The government noted that more than 20,000 drivers have already taken advantage of the EV grants. Autotrader reported that since July, interest in electric cars has surged by 50%, with demand more than doubling for vehicles eligible for the grant.
