The UK new car market surged 12.1% in September, clocking 350,518 registrations during a milestone month for fleet and electric vehicle adoption. Preliminary data from the Society of
The UK new car market surged 12.1% in September, clocking 350,518 registrations during a milestone month for fleet and electric vehicle adoption.
Preliminary data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveals a 10th consecutive month of growth for registrations and the strongest September since 2017.
Electrified vehicles helped power growth, taking a record 58.4% of registrations during the critical plate-change month. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) demand climbed 36.3% to a record high volume of 99,199 units, pushing market share up five percentage points to 28.3%. That equates to almost five new BEVs registered every minute – more than double the rate three years ago.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations also surged, rising 55.7% to take a record volume and share at 17.0%. In contrast, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uptake dipped 4.2%, reducing its market share to 13.1%.
Fleet registrations hit an impressive milestone, with year-to-date (YTD) figures passing the one million milestone to hit 1,000,499 units on the back of an 8.0% rise for the first nine months of 2026. The rise comes after a 9.6% surge to 190,988 units in September, giving a 54.5% share of the market.
The retail market also showed strong momentum, as private registrations climbed 13.9% to 149,158 units in September, pushing the YTD total up 12.8% to 695,957 units. Meanwhile, smaller business registrations surged 37.6% during the month to 10,372 units, contributing to a 22.9% YTD increase.
Philip Nothard, insight director, Cox Automotive, noted that while September’s registrations have delivered topline growth for the new car market, they mask a more complex picture.
“With almost a third of registrations occurring in the final days of the month, questions remain about how much of this growth is driven by organic demand versus tactical delivery through the fleet sector. Fleet remains the engine room of the market, helping manufacturers achieve both volume and electrification objectives.”
Nothard also highlighted that the increasing influence of Chinese manufacturers is now impossible to ignore.
The SMMT’s preliminary figures reveal that the Jaecoo 7 became the best-selling car in the UK for September, knocking the Ford Puma off the top spot. Data from Omoda&Jaecoo UK also show its best-ever month with 22,296 registrations, up 106% year on year, and a 6.37% market share.
While this growing presence of Chinese brands is stimulating competition and a greater range of consumer choice, Nothard warned that it’s also intensifying pressure on established brands, especially as the industry continues to work towards increasingly demanding EV targets.
The SMMT said that September’s bumper growth was largely driven by intense competition – significantly from new entrants – increased choice and attractive deals which are encouraging many into the new car market who might otherwise have bought used.
The trade body called September’s record EV performance a major achievement, driven by unprecedented model choice, especially in the smaller segments, compelling discounts and the Government’s Electric Car Grant.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Drivers are increasingly embracing the growing choice of models made available and high fuel prices are also undoubtedly giving more consumers reason to consider going electric. The industry’s commitment is clear with billions of pounds of investment in new models, new technology and incentives.”
Despite the bumper month, the SMMT called again for ZEV mandate change as it warned of the scale of the challenge ahead.
A total of 454,945 new BEVs have now been registered in the first nine months of the year, accounting for 26.2% of registrations.
On the face of it, that’s significantly below the 33% mandated for 2026 and behind even last year’s target of 28% – prompting the SMMT to call for ZEV mandate revision to build on this momentum and support consumers while strengthening automotive business viability and UK competitiveness.
However, ChargeUK – the trade body for the EV charging infrastructure industry – argues that when regulatory flexibilities are factored in, the market is actually well ahead of the Government’s adjusted ZEV mandate target of roughly 24.6%.
Celebrating the milestone, Shane Brennan, chief executive officer at ChargeUK, said: “These numbers are hugely positive for the entire automotive sector. September is crunch time for car registrations and consumers have spoken – high petrol and diesel prices are motivating them to choose EVs in droves. This should put paid to the idea that the Government’s EV sales targets need any adjustment. If anything, once you consider the flexibilities car sellers have been given, they look under-ambitious.”
ChargeUK tempered its optimism over BEV adoption by warning about the rise of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), which outpaced pure electrics in terms of growth with a 55.7% surge to capture a 17% market share.
ChargeUK recently exposed a worrying trend behind this growth, revealing that the top-selling PHEVs in 2026 lack basic charging capabilities, with over half of sales dominated by Chinese manufacturers exploiting regulatory loopholes within the ZEV mandate.
“One flexibility that should seriously concern the Government however is the allowance for car sellers to overcount the emissions reduction benefits of plug-in hybrids,” Brennan warned.
“They have grown dramatically as importers exploit our weaker rules. It is increasingly apparent drivers and government are being mis-sold on their charging capability, carbon impact and fuel-savings. The reality is a full electric is the best choice for drivers looking for a cleaner, cheaper to run vehicle.”
Meanwhile, EVA England echoed ChargeUK’s call for stability in the ZEV mandate, not more uncertainty around it.
Vicky Edmonds, chief executive officer of the EV advocacy group, said: “Nearly 100,000 new electric cars were registered in September alone. That’s clear evidence that growing numbers of drivers are convinced electric works for them.
“The challenge now is bringing the next wave of drivers with us by tackling the barriers that are genuinely holding people back: upfront cost, the gulf between home and public charging, and a charging network that still isn’t reliable, accessible or easy enough to use. Greater policy uncertainty risks weakening, rather than strengthening, that momentum.”
