The UK new car market soared 24.0% in April as the market rebounded from the introduction of new taxes for EVs last year.

A total of 149,247 new cars were registered last month, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). That’s up significantly from the figure of 120,331 units for April 2025, which was “unusually weak” due to buyers pulling purchases forward to beat incoming vehicle tax increases, including the application of VED and the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) on battery electric vehicles.

April is traditionally a low-volume month following the plate change in March, but this year’s performance marked the best April since 2019’s 161,064 units.

Growth was led by fleets, surging 26.8% to 90,462 registrations and taking a 60.6% share (vs 59.3% in April 2025). Private retail deliveries grew 20.2% to reach 56,116, while registrations by the smaller business sector (fewer than 25 vehicles) rose 15.0% to 2,669.

Demand for petrol cars rose 8.2%, while diesel registrations fell 1.0%.

Electrified cars, spanning battery electric cars (BEVs), plug-in hybrid (PHEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), accounted for more than half (53.2%) of the market for the second month this year.

PHEV registrations rose 46.4% to take a 13.8% market share, while hybrid electric vehicles HEVs increased 18.8%, securing 13.2% of new registrations.

The highest percentage growth was seen by BEVs, which soared 59.1% compared with last year – and racked up the milestone of the two millionth electric car registered.

As a result, BEV uptake hit a robust 26.2% share of registrations in the month. The SMMT said it was an impressive performance albeit in a typically low-volume month, but noted that the year-to-date share for BEVs stands at 23.1% of the overall new car market, significantly short of the 33% required by the ZEV mandate across 2026, despite ongoing manufacturer discounts and the introduction of the Electric Car Grant last year.

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.”

The trade body said that the “mounting cost of compliance” threatens to limit consumer choice, overall decarbonisation and the sector’s competitiveness. It’s called again for a rapid review of the ZEV mandate “to align policy with market realities” as it warns that “Britain’s attractiveness as a vehicle market and manufacturing hub “could be put at risk”.

The latest industry outlook, also published today, reflects the improving confidence in overall market volumes but also indicates weaker expectations for EV demand.

Total new car registrations in 2026 are now expected to rise 3.6% to 2.093 million, up from January’s 2.048 million outlook. But BEV share has been downgraded to 26.8%, from 28.5%, following an underperforming first quarter.

In 2027, the new car market is anticipated to reach 2.121 million units, of which 32.0% are expected to be BEVs – leaving a “persistent” gap of around six percentage points against the mandate target.

The SMMT added that energy, production and charging costs remain high, and said BEV demand has not grown as fast as assumed when the ZEV mandate regulation was formulated. It also warned that the Iran conflict adds further uncertainty, despite the rising interest in BEVs reported by carmakers and leasing firms. Last week saw Renault report that enquiries about its EVs have increased by 42% since the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

The list of most-registered models in April was topped by the Ford Puma – which stole the crown back from the Jaecoo 7 – followed by the Kia Sportage and with the Nissan Qashqai breezing into third place.

EV demand surges as prices drop | Pay-per-mile tax remains concern 

Philip Nothard, insight director at Cox Automotive, stressed that April’s strong headline growth wasn’t necessarily indicative of a step‑change in demand.

“Private buyers are returning, but they remain cautious amid widespread uncertainty.

“While the market is recovering from policy‑driven disruption, year‑to‑date performance highlights a persistent mismatch between real‑world consumer uptake and the pace assumed by the ZEV mandate, which targets a 33% share in 2026.

“This underlines a sector moving in the right direction, but one that still depends heavily on incentives and fleet demand rather than organic private momentum.”

Jon Lawes, managing director at Novuna Vehicle Solutions, said April’s rise in EV registrations shows electric demand is continuing to broaden, helped by greater model choice, sharper pricing and the arrival of new brands into the UK market.

“At Novuna Vehicle Solutions, we’re seeing this shift clearly across fleet and salary sacrifice. Pure Chinese EV brands on our fleet are up nearly 19% year-on-year, while Chinese-owned brands are up more than 34%, as drivers become more open to newer entrants where the value, range and charging capability stack up.

“In the current economic climate, affordability matters more than ever. Competitive pricing, stronger specifications, improved real-world mileage and faster charging are all helping move the EV conversation on, from whether electric is viable, to which model best fits the driver’s needs.”

Matt Adams, head of electrical transport systems at BEAMA, said: “With two million EVs now registered in the UK, consumers are seeing the benefits of vehicles powered by home-grown renewable energy. Electric vehicles reduce the reliance on fossil fuel and the fluctuation of prices determined by international affairs.”

But the trade association warned that the Government risks undermining progress in BEV uptake with the introduction of electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED); newly published research by BEAMA indicates that the pay-per-mile tax could cost the UK economy up to £4.8bn under worst-case scenarios.

Russell Olive, UK director at Vaylens, said April’s new vehicle momentum was swung by fleet demand.

He added: “It’s positive that sales of EVs are travelling in the right direction. But we’d expect sales to flatten as oil prices stabilise. And what could prove to be a roadblock for the transition is the government plans to introduce a tax on every mile travelled. That doesn’t just hit the pockets of consumers, the impact is magnified for fleet operators.”

Vicky Read, chief executive, ChargeUK, drew attention to the 59% year-on-year growth in BEV sales and the two million EV milestone, saying: “A nearly 60% surge in EV registrations in April conclusively shows that now is the time to double down on the transition. By staying firm on EV sales quotas and addressing unnecessarily high public charging costs, the government can save cash for two million existing EV drivers and make driving electric affordable for millions more. Achieving a vote winning combination of reducing cost of living, boosting economic growth and meeting climate goals.”

Commenting on BEV demand, Maria Bengtsson, EY UK & Ireland mobility leader, said: “Consumer preferences were already beginning to turn towards cleaner and greener transport at a considerable pace, and the impact of recent inflation in fuel prices is likely to further dissuade consumers from purchasing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. That said, the conflict in the Middle East continues to have a disruptive impact on supply chains across various powertrain technologies, and the effects of this are likely to be seen in sales and registration numbers in the coming months.”

Bengtsson added that the 8.2% year-on-year rise for petrol registrations is not expected to continue in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, Jamie Hamilton, automotive partner and head of electric vehicles at Deloitte, said momentum behind BEV uptake is expected to remain strong over the coming months while fuel costs remain high.

“With affordability still front of mind for many looking to make the switch to electric, manufacturers and policymakers will need to keep working together to make the transition easier for consumers. This should include competitive pricing, clear incentives and continued improvement in access to charging infrastructure for those without access to off-street parking.”