A statistical analysis of the UK’s September car market reveals a profound and accelerating shift towards electrification, driven by targeted government intervention. Preliminary data shows that new battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations reached 72,800, a year-on-year increase of nearly 33%, while plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations jumped an impressive 56% to 38,300.
These two categories alone accounted for 111,100 vehicles, representing over a third of the total market. When combined with conventional hybrids, electrified vehicles captured more than 50% of all sales in September, a significant milestone. This surge helped push the total number of new car registrations to 312,900, a 14% increase over September of the previous year and the highest figure for the month since 2020.
The primary catalyst for this growth was a government grant reintroduced in July, offering up to £3,750 off the purchase price of qualifying vehicles. The policy’s impact is clear, though its application is narrow. The grant is limited to models priced under £37,000, which constitutes only about 25% of the BEVs currently for sale. This suggests the growth is heavily concentrated in the more affordable segment of the EV market.
Despite this monthly record, the broader annual picture shows the challenge ahead. The year-to-date market share for pure electric cars is 22.1%. This figure lags behind the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate headline target of 28% for the full year. This gap highlights the distance the market still needs to cover to meet regulatory ambitions.
Furthermore, policy analysts note that “flexibilities” introduced to the ZEV mandate have effectively lowered the compliance threshold. A thinktank, New Automotive, estimates the true sales target for BEVs is now below 22% once these concessions are factored in. This suggests that while the raw numbers are impressive, the underlying regulatory pressure may not be as stringent as the headline figures imply.