The UK’s new car market saw a modest 0.5 per cent increase in October with 144,948 cars finding new homes. However, car industry bosses have warned that a looming government tax change could undo that progress and throw the market into decline.
According to latest data from the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), electric vehicles continue to lead the way. Battery-electric cars (BEVs) registrations jumped by 23.6 per cent compared with October last year, with 7,028 more EVs hitting the road. That means fully electric cars accounted for 25.4 per cent of all new registrations last month – the second-highest monthly share of 2025 so far. However, that’s still some way shy of the 28 per cent target required under the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate.
