In the UK, the year 2024 marks a pivotal moment for the electric car market, as the landscape of UK EVs continues to evolve. The UK’s commitment to electrification and the increasing number of electric cars on its roads are shaping the future of transportation.
The latest statistics and trends in the UK and electric cars provide a compelling narrative of the ongoing surge in EV popularity, shedding light on the ever-growing number of electric vehicles on UK roads and the profound impact they have on the environment and the economy.
CITA EV closely monitors the surge in UK and electric cars. With over 1,000,000 fully electric cars now on UK roads and a remarkable 18% growth in battery-electric car registrations in 2023, the EV market is thriving.
Electric cars accounted for 15.2% of new car registrations in March 2024, underscoring their increasing popularity.
As we speak about the UK and electric cars, the blog also highlights the growing interest in electric vans, reflecting the expanding appeal of electric commercial vehicles. Furthermore, the report emphasises the impact of incentives and market disruption, while showcasing the significant role of zero-emission vehicles in reducing CO2 emissions. This trend signifies a bright future for EVs in the UK.
Topics
1
How many EVs are there in the UK?
2
What is the EV market trend in the UK?
3
How many EVs will the UK roads have by 2030?
4
How many EV charging stations are there in the UK in 2030?
5
What are the statistics on the EV market?
6
What are the statistics on electric cars?
7
What percentage of cars are electric in the UK?
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How big is the EV market in the UK?
9
How many EV charging stations does the UK need?
10
The Status of the Global EV Market
How many EVs are there in the UK?
As of the end of June 2023, there were more than 810,000 battery electric cars registered in the UK.
This number has seen a significant increase, as it was up by 40% from 2022 when there were 265,000 battery electric cars registered in the UK.
In addition, as of the end of February 2024, there are now over 1,000,000 fully electric cars on UK roads, along with a further 620,000 plug-in hybrids. The data from various sources consistently indicates a significant increase in the number of electric cars sales in the UK, with a clear shift towards battery electric cars and a substantial growth in the overall market share of electric vehicles.
What is the EV market trend in the UK?
The UK and electric cars market is experiencing a notable trend marked by a significant surge in adoption and sales. As of the end of February 2024, there were more than 57,000 electric vans in the UK, signifying a substantial increase in the number of electric vehicles on UK roads.
This trend is attributed to the growing demand and the introduction of a large number of new models to the market, expanding the choices available to consumers. Notably, the gap between the percentage of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales and battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales has widened since 2019, with BEVs continuing to gain popularity.
This trend is expected to accelerate further as BEVs appeal to an increasing number of drivers. The UK’s commitment to the electrification of transportation is evident in the remarkable growth of the EV market, with electric vehicles making up over half of the UK vehicle sales market share, reflecting clear consumer momentum in the transition to electric cars.
How many EVs will the UK roads have by 2030?
By 2030, it is anticipated that there will be a substantial increase in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on UK roads.
According to a survey, Britain electric cars are expected to form a fifth of all cars on the road, accounting for approximately 6.5 million vehicles, out of an estimated 33 million cars in total.
This surge in electric cars reflects a significant shift in the automotive landscape, with pure combustion vehicles expected to see a dramatic drop. The UK’s commitment to the electrification of transportation is evident in these projections, highlighting the substantial growth of the EV market and the pivotal role that electric vehicles will play in the future of mobility.
The anticipated rise in electric car sales in the UK is a strong indicator of the changing preferences of consumers and the increasing adoption of sustainable transportation options. This surge in UK and electric cars adoption is supported by various initiatives and incentives aimed at promoting clean mobility and reducing emissions.
How many EV charging stations are there in the UK in 2030?
By 2030, the UK and electric cars are projected to have approximately 300,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charge points, representing a tenfold expansion from the current number. This ambitious target, supported by a £1.6 billion investment under the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, aims to make charging easier and more affordable than refuelling a petrol or diesel car.
The plan also includes new legal requirements on operators to enable drivers of UK EVs to pay by contactless, compare charging prices, and find nearby charge points via apps. This significant expansion in the charging network is a crucial step in supporting the growing number of electric vehicles on UK roads, which is estimated to exceed 9 million by 2030.
What are the statistics on the EV market?
The latest statistics on the Electric Vehicle (EV) market indicate significant growth and positive trends globally.
The electric vehicle industry is valued at over $250 billion, with over 10 million EVs on the road and over 6 million plug-in EVs sold per year globally. These statistics indicate a strong and growing market for electric vehicles, with increasing sales and market penetration in key regions such as Europe, the United States, the UK, and China.
What are the statistics on electric cars?
The latest statistics on electric cars reveal a significant growth in the global automotive market.
Global Spending on Electric Cars: From 2017 to 2022, consumers and governments worldwide have spent billions of U.S. dollars on electric cars.
Number of Electric Cars Worldwide: There has been a 64% increase in the number of electric vehicles worldwide from 2018 to 2022, with over 5.6 million electric vehicles currently in use.
Electric Car Market Share: By 2023, nearly one in five new cars sold is expected to be electric, accounting for 18% of total car sales for the year.
What percentage of cars are electric in the UK?
As of the end of February 2024, the total market share for new cars registered with a plug in the UK was 23.9%, with over 1,000,000 fully electric cars on UK roads and a further 620,000 plug-in hybrids. This reflects the increasing demand for electric vehicles and the decline in demand for traditional, particularly diesel, cars.
Additionally, there are around 980,000 zero-emission Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and approximately 600,000 plug-in hybrids currently on the UK’s roads, with expectations for the number of BEVs to reach one million by the end of January or February 2024.
How big is the EV market in the UK?
The electric vehicle (EV) market in the UK has experienced significant growth, with over 1,000,000 fully electric cars and 620,000 plug-in hybrids on UK roads as of the end of February 2024. This reflects the increasing demand for electric vehicles and the decline in demand for traditional, particularly diesel, cars.
Additionally, the UK has the second largest plug-in car market in Europe, with 368,617 sales in 2022, and new EV registrations were 40% higher than the previous year, with 267,203 new electric cars being sold in 2022.
The growth of the EV market is expected to accelerate in the coming years as the UK prepares for the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicle sales. The market share for new cars registered with a plug in the UK was 23.9% at the end of February 2024, indicating the increasing popularity of electric vehicles in the country.
How many EV charging stations does the UK need?
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) advises that the UK will need approximately 2.3 million charging points by 2030 to keep up with the predicted demand for electric vehicles. This would require the installation of around 700 charge points every single day until the end of the decade.
The need for accessible charging points is becoming increasingly important, especially with the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. A recent study conducted by Uswitch revealed that over 31% of drivers highlighted the lack of accessible charge points as their biggest worry about switching to electric vehicles.
As of now, there are more than 61,000 charge point connectors across the UK in over 22,000 locations, which is more than the number of public places to charge than petrol stations. Additionally, it’s estimated that there are more than 700,000 charge points installed at home or at workplace locations in the UK.
The Status of the Global EV Market
The global and UK EV market is on the rise, with sales expected to reach 14.1 million units in 2023, marking a remarkable 34% growth compared to 2022. This upward trend is set to continue, with EVs projected to make up 23.5% of the global light-vehicle market by 2025 and an impressive 45.3% by 2030.
Leading the charge in the EV market and working on their EV sales are countries like Norway, where all-electric vehicles accounted for an astounding 80% of passenger vehicle sales in 2022. Following closely behind are Iceland (41%), Sweden (32%), the Netherlands (24%), and China (22%, amounting to 4.4 million sales). Norway shines as the leader in market penetration per capita, with EVs making up a remarkable 86.2% of new car sales in 2021.
To paint a comprehensive picture of the global EV market, let’s take an intriguing journey from 2022 to 2030 through the following chart:
How has the UK’s EV market share grown over time?
- In 2016, a mere 0.4% of all new vehicles registered in the UK were BEVs.
- In 2023, the market share for UK and electric cars hit an all-time high of 16.5% – and a further 7.4% of cars registered were PHEVs, bringing the total market share for plug-in vehicles to 23.9%.
- Looking ahead to 2024, the latest industry outlook estimates that BEVs will account for 21.0% of the new car market in the UK, up from 16.5% in 2023.
- By 2025, it is estimated that electric cars will account for around 20% of the UK’s total vehicle fleet, or approximately 6.5 million vehicles.
- By 2030, electric cars are expected to form around 20% of all cars on UK roads, out of an estimated 33 million total vehicles.
- These figures reflect a growing demand for EVs – and a reduction in the demand for ICE cars (particularly diesel models)
Popularity of different EV types
The table below shows the widening gap between BEV and PHEV sales over time-and their combined market share
Powering Ahead in the ever-changing EV Market: The current stats
- In January 2024, the millionth battery electric vehicle (BEV) joined the roads in Britain.
- According to the SMMT’s forecast, 414,000 new BEVs are expected to hit UK roads in 2024.
- A total of 20,935 BEVs, 18,744 hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and 11,944 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) were also newly registered in January.
- This marked for UK and electric cars year-on-year (YoY) increases of 21% for BEVs, 31.1% for PHEVs – and a 1.2% decrease for HEVs.
- In January, BEV’s YoY market share grew from 13.1% to 14.7% (although this falls slightly short of the full 2023 market share of 16.5%).
- The latest EV registration data shows that although demand from the fleet and business market grew by 41% in January, private registrations fell for UK and electric cars by 25.1%.
- Meanwhile, the number of diesel registrations fell by 1,051 to 9,348 – but petrol registrations increased by 5,692 to a total of 81,905.
- In terms of market share for UK electric car sales, diesel cars fell to 7.9% (-1.4% YoY) and petrol cars fell to 57.3% (-0.4% YoY).
EV market highlights from 2023
- A total of 1.9 million new cars (across all powertrain types) were registered in 2023, reflecting a 17.9% increase from 2022. This can be partly attributed to the easing of the global semiconductor chip shortage.
- 2023 was a record year for UK and electric cars. According to SMMT data, a total of 314,687 BEVs were registered throughout the year (accounting for 16.5% of all new car sales).
- BEV sales are now second only to petrol models in the UK electric car sales sector.
- A total of 141,311 PHEVs were registered in 2023 (accounting for 7.4% of all new car sales).
Used electric car sales
- According to the latest SMMT data, in Q3 of 2023, a total of 1,884,160 used cars were sold across all powertrain types, marking a 5.5% YoY increase.
- UK electric car sales achieved a record 1.8% market share (up from just 1.0% in 2022). Sales grew by 99.9%, with a total of 34,021 units sold.
- PHEV and HEV – part of UK EVs sales also grew by 34.6% and 46.4% respectively. As a result, plug-in sales have increased by 70.9% to secure a 2.8% market share.
Best Selling EVs in the UK for 2024 so far
The UK and electric car revolution has come a long way. The list below shows the bestselling UK EVs, according to vehicle registration data from January 2024:
UK BEV Sales (2018 - 2023)
New BEV sales (by registrations) increased by 17.7% in 2023, compared with the previous year. Annual BEV registrations have grown by 1929% since 2018.
The Future of Electric Vehicle Charger Technology & How CITA is Changing the EV Revolution
The future of electric vehicle (EV) charger technology is intricately linked to the rapidly evolving landscape of electric vehicles in the UK.
As the demand for electric cars continues to surge, the need for efficient and innovative charging solutions becomes increasingly paramount.
CITA is at the forefront of revolutionising the EV landscape in the UK, shaping the future of electric vehicle charger technology and driving the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
CITA is revolutionising the EV landscape in the UK by spearheading the development and deployment of cutting-edge EV charger technology. Through strategic partnerships and relentless innovation, CITA is expanding access to charging infrastructure, promoting interoperability, and enhancing user experience in the UK.
By deploying next-generation charging solutions, CITA is accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in the UK, fostering a culture of sustainability, and empowering individuals and communities to embrace the EV revolution with confidence.
For Home EV Charger:
CITA EV’s home chargers are the epitome of convenience and efficiency for electric vehicle owners.
These state-of-the-art chargers are designed to seamlessly integrate into the home environment, providing a hassle-free charging experience. Equipped with advanced technology, CITA EV’s home chargers offer fast charging capabilities, allowing users to power up their vehicles quickly and conveniently from the comfort of their own homes.
With user-friendly interfaces and smart connectivity features, these chargers make it easy for EV owners to monitor their charging status and schedule charging sessions according to their individual needs. CITA EV’s home chargers are the perfect solution for those looking to embrace the future of sustainable transportation without sacrificing convenience.
EV Chargers for workplace & business:
CITA EV’s workplace chargers offer a versatile and efficient charging solution for businesses looking to support their employees’ transition to electric vehicles. With options ranging from 11kW, 22kW, to 44kW, these chargers cater to different charging needs, making them suitable for a wide range of electric vehicle models.
For businesses seeking to provide ultra-fast charging capabilities, these chargers are a great choice delivering rapid charging speeds for EVs equipped to handle higher power inputs.
EV Charger for Public Transport and Fleets:
CITA EV’s fleet chargers are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of commercial electric vehicle fleets. Available in a variety of power levels ranging from 60kW to 150kW, these fast chargers can refuel a wide range of electric trucks, buses, vans and other fleet vehicles in the shortest time possible.
With optional features like integrated load management and advanced metering capabilities, CITA EV’s fleet chargers help businesses efficiently manage their energy usage and charging costs. Their durable construction and simple plug-and-play design allow for seamless integration into existing fleet operations.
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