September saw the second highest volume of battery electric vehicle (EV) registrations in history, according to newly released figures.
There have now been more than one million plug-in EVs registered in the UK, with a quarter of that figure coming this year.
The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) stress that while the figures are positive, the pace of growth in EVs has slowed throughout the year.
Still the fortunes of EVs were in direct correlation to the decline in combustion engine vehicles, in particular diesel. For the year to date, plug-in EV registrations were up 40%, compared to a fall of 43% for diesel.
Looking at September specifically, battery EV registrations were up 16% and despite an 11.5% fall for plug-in hybrids, overall plug-in vehicles accounted for more than one in five new cars joining UK roads that month. Full hybrid registrations grew by 16.5% in September meanwhile.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “September has seen Britain’s millionth electric car reach the road – an important milestone in the shift to zero emission mobility. Battery electric vehicles make up but a small fraction of cars on the road, so we need to ensure every lever is pulled to encourage motorists to make the shift if our green goals are to be met.
“The overall market remains weak, however, as supply chain issues continue to constrain model availability. Whilst the industry is working hard to address these issues, the long-term recovery of the market also depends on robust consumer confidence and economic stability.”