More plug-in vehicles will join Britain’s roads in 2021 than during the whole of the last decade; particularly supported by strong fleet take-up.

The latest SMMT outlook forecasts that some 287,000 plug-in vehicles will be registered in 2021 – more than from 2010 to 2019 combined

A total of 271,962 new battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) were registered between 2010 and 2019. But the latest forecast from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) sets out that some 287,000 plug-in vehicles will be registered in 2021 as a whole – accounting for around one in six new cars.

Based on current forecasts, BEV registrations are also expected to exceed those of diesel by the end of 2022, including both conventional diesel and mild hybrid diesel cars.

Demand has particularly been driven by corporates; around two in every three new BEV registrations this year have been for large fleets, supported by tax breaks and grants.

But the SMMT said sustaining the surge in plug-in vehicle take-up and ensuring zero-emission mobility is accessible for all will depend on encouraging all consumers to make the switch away from fossil fuels.

This will require purchase incentives to be continued, encouraging those drivers currently unable or unwilling to make the transition to electrified motoring.

But more significantly, the public and private sector will need to ‘turbocharge’ investment into the public charging infrastructure required by a growing plug-in vehicle fleet.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Massive investment by industry as well as longstanding government incentives have seen us go from just 188 new plug-in cars in 2010, to almost 300,000 in 2021.

“To achieve net zero by the desired date, however, uptake rates must continue to grow. This requires ongoing incentives to help consumers make the switch and significant investment in public charging infrastructure. Backed by the ingenuity and innovation of the automotive sector, we can then deliver zero-emission mobility that is accessible and affordable for all.”