In October, new passenger car registrations in the United Kingdom saw a substantial year-over-year increase of 14 percent, reaching a total of 153,529 units. This surge marks the 15th consecutive month of growth for the UK automotive market. As of October, the year-to-date total number of new car registrations reached an impressive 1,605,437 units, reflecting a nearly 20 percent year-over-year increase.
A significant contributor to this growth is the rapid expansion of plug-in electric cars, which have managed to slightly increase their market share. According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 38,228 new plug-in cars were registered in the UK in October, representing a 33 percent year-over-year increase. These plug-in vehicles now constitute 24.9 percent of the total market, up from 21.5 percent in the previous year.
All-electric car adoption in the UK continues to show remarkable resilience, with October marking its 42nd consecutive month of growth, totaling 23,943 units, a 20 percent year-over-year increase. Notably, plug-in hybrid vehicles experienced a significant surge of nearly 61 percent year-over-year, reaching 14,285 registrations.
The SMMT also highlighted that the last quarter marked a record high in the deployment of new AC charging points in the country, with 4,753 units added.
In October, the breakdown of plug-in car registrations in the UK compared to the previous year revealed the following:
- Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs): 23,943 units, up 20 percent, with a 15.6 percent market share.
- Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs): 14,285 units, up 61 percent, with a 9.3 percent market share.
- Total Plug-In Registrations: 38,228 units, up 33 percent, with a 24.9 percent market share.
For the year-to-date figures, the data for the UK plug-in car registrations showed remarkable growth:
- BEVs: 262,484 units, up 34 percent, with a 16.3 percent market share.
- PHEVs: 113,278 units, up 37 percent, with a 7.1 percent market share.
- Total Plug-In Registrations: 375,762 units, up 35 percent, with a 23.4 percent market share.
For reference, in 2022, a total of over 368,000 new passenger plug-in cars were registered in the UK, with an average market share of 22.8 percent.
In an interesting development, in both October and September, none of the stand-alone all-electric models made it into the top 10 list for the month. However, the Tesla Model Y maintains its position in the top 10 year-to-date, with 30,087 units and a fifth-place ranking, despite registering fewer than 2,000 units in the last month. It is worth noting that Tesla’s vehicle shipments often exhibit irregular monthly patterns.
In the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment, 26,342 units were registered in October, showing an 18 percent year-over-year increase. Out of these, 1,362 units were all-electric, reflecting a 20 percent year-over-year decline. All-electric LCVs currently hold a 5.2 percent market share.
While the all-electric van segment lags behind the all-electric passenger car segment, this trend is consistent with observations in other markets. The growing adoption of plug-in electric cars in the UK underlines a notable shift towards cleaner and more sustainable transportation choices, aligning with the global push for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change.
