Pure electric vehicles (EVs) made up nearly one in three new car registrations in December, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), surpassing petrol vehicles to become the most popular type of new car in UK.
Sales during the month rose to 43,284 – an increase of more than half on the 27,705 registrations during the same period in 2021 – giving pure EVs their highest ever monthly market share of 32.8%.
Although registrations of new petrol cars remained broadly level when compared to December 2021, at 42,091, their market share nevertheless dropped by almost 6 percentage points to 32.8% as total new car registrations rose by more than 18% year-on-year to 128,462.
Plug-in hybrids made up another 6.5% of new registrations at 8,376, whilst sales of all other hybrids accounted for 24.7% at 31,714.
Sales of pure electric vehicles over the whole of 2022 totalled 267,203, comprising 16.6% of the more than 1.6 million new car registrations during the year. Their market shares rose by 5 percentage points when compared to 2021.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “The automotive market remains adrift of its pre-pandemic performance but could well buck wider economic trends by delivering significant growth in 2023.
“To secure that growth – which is increasingly zero emission growth – government must help all drivers go electric and compel others to invest more rapidly in nationwide charging infrastructure.
“Manufacturers’ innovation and commitment have helped EVs become the second most popular car type. However, for a nation aiming for electric mobility leadership, that must be matched with policies and investment that remove consumer uncertainty over switching, not least over where drivers can charge their vehicles.”
Kim Royds, EV director at British Gas, said: “The uptick of electric vehicle registrations was a bright light in a challenging year for the new car market in 2022. Record numbers of EVs entering the roads is proof that drivers are continuing to unlock the benefits of making the switch to electric as we accelerate the UK’s journey towards net zero.
“To ensure that growth in the EV market is sustainable for the long term, we must look seriously at the country’s charging network and its capacity to keep up with increasing demand. Ensuring everyone has access to suitable charging infrastructure is a critical milestone in the UK’s electrification journey and expanding both at-home and public charging infrastructure must remain a top priority.”
Similar figures were also published this week by the research organisation New Automotive, which gave pure electric vehicles nearly 34% of new car sales in December, compared to more than 37% for petrol and over 23% for hybrids.
Commenting on the New Automotive figures, Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit transport lead Colin Walker said: “Rather than being a flash in the fan, this impressive growth in EV uptake needs to become the norm.
“The government could achieve this by setting car manufacturers ambitious targets for the percentage of new cars that they sell that are electric – otherwise known as a ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mandate.”
He continued: “Current government proposals for a mandate would require 22% of new cars sold in 2024 to be electric – but since sales are already far past this point, this target will need to be strengthened significantly to have any impact.
“An ambitious mandate provides markets with clarity – incentivising companies to roll out the charging infrastructure that drivers need and invest in the supply chain, such as battery factories, that the UK requires if it is to avoid losing its status as a major car manufacturer.”