More than two million electric cars have now been registered in the UK, marking a big moment in the switch away from petrol and diesel – even if the industry is still warning that EV demand is not growing quickly enough to meet government targets.
New figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show the UK new car market rose by 24 per cent in April, with 149,247 new cars registered during the month. That sounds like a big jump, but there is a bit of context needed: April last year was an unusually weak month because lots of buyers rushed to register cars in March 2025 before new vehicle tax changes came in.
Those changes included Vehicle Excise Duty being applied to electric cars, along with the pre-existing Expensive Car Supplement for EVs costing more than £40,000 (which in April 2026 rose to £50,000). In other words, April 2026 was always likely to look stronger when compared with a slightly odd month a year earlier.
Even so, it was the best April for the new car market since 2019 – before Covid, supply shortages and all sorts of other bumps in the road made car sales figures hard to read. And the sales numbers are strong enough for SMMT to increase its overall sales prediction for 2026 to 2.093 million, up from January’s 2.048 million outlook – if realised, that would be a 3.6 per cent rise year-on-year
Fleet buyers were once again doing much of the heavy lifting, with company and business fleet registrations up 26.8 per cent to 90,462 cars. Private buyers also returned in greater numbers, with retail registrations up 20.2 per cent to 56,116. Smaller business registrations rose too, up 15.0 per cent to 2,669.
But the biggest story is electric. April saw the two millionth battery electric car registered in the UK, with the total now standing at 2,012,758 since records began in 2002. Electric car registrations rose by 59.1 per cent compared with April last year, giving EVs a 26.2 per cent share of the market for the month. Across the year so far, electric cars account for 23.1 per cent of new registrations.
Car makers are working under the Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires a rising proportion of their sales to be electric. For 2026, the industry says the market is still some way short of the 33 per cent level required, despite car makers putting billions into discounts and the arrival of the Electric Car Grant last year.
The SMMT now expects EVs to take 26.8 per cent of the market this year, down from its previous forecast of 28.5 per cent, after weaker-than-expected demand in the first quarter.
Looking further ahead, the SMMT expects the 2027 market to reach 2,121,000 cars, with EVs making up 32 per cent of that total. That would still leave a gap of around six percentage points against the mandate target.
Electrified cars of all types made up more than half the market in April, at 53.2 per cent. Plug-in hybrids were up 46.4 per cent and took a 13.8 per cent share, while regular hybrids rose 18.8 per cent, taking 13.2 per cent of the market. Petrol was still up, rising 8.2 per cent, while diesel slipped by 1.0 per cent.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “April’s rebound is welcome, but underlines just how significantly fiscal changes can influence the market. Two million electric car registrations is a considerable milestone to celebrate, although natural demand is still well below the level demanded by the mandate.”
Against that wider market picture, Renault is pointing to its own figures as proof that smaller, more affordable EVs are starting to hit the sweet spot with buyers.
The French brand says the Renault 5 E-Tech electric is now the UK’s best-selling electric car, with EVs making up 49 per cent of Renault UK passenger car registrations in April. Renault says rising fuel costs are helping to push more drivers towards electric cars, with enquiries for its EVs increasing in recent months.
The Renault 5 has arrived at a useful moment for the brand, mixing retro looks with a price that starts from £21,495 after the Electric Car Grant. It is available with two powertrain options, three trim levels and a claimed range of up to 252 miles depending on version. It can also charge from 15 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes.
Renault is now adding one-pedal driving to the 5 E-Tech electric on techno trim and above. The system adds a stronger level of regenerative braking, allowing the car to slow down and come to a stop using the accelerator pedal alone. It is the sort of feature that can make town driving easier, especially in stop-start traffic.
Adam Wood, Managing Director of Renault UK, said: “We’re seeing a very clear change in the market, with more customers actively moving towards electric as the cost of running a petrol or diesel car comes under greater scrutiny. Renault 5 E-Tech electric has captured that moment perfectly, combining a sense of fun with everyday usability in a way that really resonates.”
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