In January, the United Kingdom celebrated a significant achievement as the registration of the one-millionth battery-electric vehicle (BEV) coincided with the addition of the 60,000th electric van on its roads.
Data from the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed that the one-million BEV milestone was reached with the registration of 20,935 electric vehicles in January alone, constituting 14.7% of the overall vehicle market.
The figures also indicated growth in other electrified vehicle variants, with plug-in hybrid registrations rising by 31.1%, claiming an 8.4% market share, while hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) volumes experienced a slight dip with a 13.1% total share.
Alongside the broader BEV milestone, the UK marked another achievement with the registration of 60,000 electric transporter vans, as 1,186 registrations were recorded in January.
Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of SMMT, emphasized the significance of this accomplishment in the context of the nation’s net-zero journey, stating, “More than a year of growth shows the importance of vans to Britain’s economy, and surpassing 60,000 electric vans is a crucial step in our net zero journey.” Hawes underscored the readiness of the industry for a mass-market transition but emphasized the need for a substantial increase in buyer demand. He further highlighted the essential role of dedicated public van charging infrastructure to instill confidence in businesses making the switch to electric vans.
