The last four years have seen a remarkable surge in demand for electric vehicles in the UK – new registrations of plug-in cars increased from 3,500 in 2013 to almost 95,000 by the end of March 2017.
There has also been a huge increase in the number of electric and plug-in hybrid models available in the UK with many of the top manufacturers in the UK now offering an EV as part of their model range.
How many electric vehicles have been sold in the UK?
Monthly figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that electric car sales in the UK have risen dramatically during the past two years. While only around 500 electric cars were registered per month during the first half of 2014, this has now risen to an average of more than 3,000 per month over the past 12 months.
By the end of 2016, more than 35,000 plug-in cars had been registered over the course of the year, the highest number ever. As a percentage of new car registrations, electric cars now represent around 1.3 per cent of the total new car market in the UK. That figure for the first three months of 2017 sits at 1.5 per cent.
Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, April 2017.
The cumulative figure also shows sustained and dramatic growth of the EV car and van market. According to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and SMMT, more than 95,000 claims have been made through the Plug-in Car and Van Grant schemes.
Taken together with the fact that a significant number of electric cars and vans which are not eligible for the grant schemes have also been registered, the total UK light-duty electric fleet is 100,000 electric vehicles strong.
Source: SMMT, OLEV, DfT Statistics; Analysis: Next Green Car, April 2017.
Read more: Next Green Car