In September 2026, the UK recorded its highest-ever monthly volume of battery-electric vehicle registrations, reaching 99,199 units. This figure represents a 36.3 per cent increase compared to the previous year, with BEVs capturing a 28.3 per cent market share. Total registrations for the first nine months of 2026 reached 454,945, marking a 30.2 per cent growth year-on-year.
Tesla Model 3 led the market with 9,929 registrations, followed by the Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, BYD Seal, and Kia EV3. The overall UK car market grew by 12.1 per cent to 350,518 units in September, the strongest result for the month since 2017. Plug-in hybrids also saw record performance, increasing by 55.7 per cent and accounting for 17 per cent of the market share.
Despite record growth, the SMMT noted that adoption rates remain below the UK ZEV mandate, which requires a 33 per cent BEV share for 2026. Achieving this target in a projected 2.183-million-unit market would necessitate an additional 265,000 BEV registrations in the final quarter. The industry faces challenges from high energy costs and ambitious regulatory targets despite significant investments.
Conventional hybrid registrations declined by 4.2 per cent to 45,838 units. Combined, BEVs, PHEVs, and conventional hybrids accounted for 58.4 per cent of all new car registrations in September. The record results were supported by manufacturer incentives, an expanding range of electric models, and the government’s Electric Car Grant scheme.
