UK: Plug-In Car Sales Surged 50% In April 2023

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) remained the second most popular "fuel type."

Tesla Model Y

Mark Kane

By: Mark Kane

May 5, 2023 at 8:40am ET

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In April, new passenger car registrations in the United Kingdom increased by almost 12 percent year-over-year to 132,990, which means the ninth successive month of growth. After four months of 2023, the total number of new registrations amounted to 627,250 (up 16.9 percent).

Meanwhile, plug-in electric car sales accelerated, reaching the highest year-over-year rate of growth in 15 months.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reports that 29,117 new plug-in cars were registered last month (50.5 percent more than a year ago). This result represents about 21.9 percent of the total volume (it was 16.2 percent a year ago).

All-electric car registrations increase even faster. In April, 20,522 BEVs were registered (up 59 percent year-over-year), taking 15.4 percent of the market.

Plug-in electric car registrations in the UK – April 2023

BEVs: 20,522 (up 59% year-over-year) at a market share of 15.4%
PHEVs: 8,595 (up 33% year-over-year) at a market share of 6.5%
Total: 29,117 (up 50% year-over-year) at a market share of 21.9%

So far this year, more than 137,000 new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in the UK, which is 21 percent more than a year ago and more than one-fifth of the market.

New plug-in car registrations year-to-date:

BEVs: 96,752 (up 26% year-over-year) at a market share of 15.4%
PHEVs: 40,360 (up 11% year-over-year) at a market share of 6.4%
Total: 137,112 (up 21% year-over-year) at a market share of 21.9%

For reference, in the 12 months of 2022, more than 368,000 new passenger plug-in cars were registered in the UK, reaching an average market share of 22.8%.

More details, also including other powertrain types:

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Top models

This time, none of the stand-alone all-electric models broke into the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK, but the Tesla Model Y remains in the top 10 year-to-date (in seventh position and 11,503 units).

LCVs

In the case of light commercial vehicles (LCV), some 22,665 units were registered last month (up 5 percent year-over-year). Out of that, about 1,494 were all-electric (up 63 percent year-over-year), which translated to a market share of 6.6%.